California Offers $31 Million Toward E-Bikes

Residents Have Chance on Wednesday to Win $1,750 in a Voucher

To get more e-bikes on the road in place of cars. California is offering up to $2,000 in vouchers for qualified residents on a first-come first-served basis. The first group may submit applications at 6 p.m. on Decmeber 18. | Credit: Ryan P. Cruz

Fifteen-hundred lucky Californians will have the chance to get $1,750 toward an electric bicycle, but only if they beat everyone else to the punch. On Wednesday, December 18, at 6 p.m., the California Air Resources Board will start accepting applications for the voucher on a first-come, first-served basis, as much as $3 million in all, at this website. The entire program expects to distribute $31 million.

To be eligible for the California E-bike Incentive Project:

Applicants must be 18 years or older.
They must have a gross annual household income of 300 percent or less of the federal poverty level. For a single person, this is $45,180; for a family of four, it’s $93,600.
An additional $250 is available for residents of disadvantaged communities or those earning less than 225 percent of the federal poverty level.

The type of e-bike a person may buy with the voucher also has eligibility criteria, which include front and back lights, pedals that work, and an electric motor of less than 750 watts. They must also be:

Class 1, 2, or 3 e-bikes, or those with top speeds of 20-28mph, with pedal and/or throttle assist
Cargo e-bikes
Adaptive e-bikes, or trikes, tandems, handcycles, recumbents, and wheelchair tandems or carriers.

E-bikes that are ineligible are used bikes, converted or modified bikes, scooters, mopeds, or any other e-bike outside the eligible categories.

Receiving a voucher includes taking part in safety training and answering a survey. Further, winners do not receive the voucher directly but are to redeem them at an approved e-bike retailers — four are in Santa Barbara. At the time of sale or purchase, the retailer submits the voucher to get the approved discount.

A number of documents are needed to verify income and residency in California, which can be found here, as well as further information on participating retailers, e-bikes, safety videos, and so on. A video that walks applicants through the process is available at CalBike.org.

And, if you don’t succeed on Wednesday, don’t despair. The Air Resources Board plans to release a total of $31 million through 15,000 vouchers, which are to be distributed every few months.