CalBike Works with CA Air Resources Board to Develop E-Bike Grant Program

CalBike’s $10 million E-Bike Affordability Program has been fully funded and is now in the planning stages. The program will give grants to help as many as 10,000 Californians buy e-bikes, starting in July 2022.

On Monday, CalBike Executive Director Dave Snyder and José Jimenez from Active San Gabriel Valley (Active SGV) met with the California Air Resources Board staff who are designing the program. Jimenez brought his experience administering a successful and popular e-bike program for Active SGV in 2017.

CARB staff noted that the July 1, 2022 deadline set by the legislature gives them an incredibly tight turnaround. They are working at an accelerated pace to develop a call for proposals to administer the program. But first, they must establish the parameters of that program and get it approved through the many layers of CARB bureaucracy. They were happy to learn of the groundwork we’ve laid.

CARB is planning its first public workgroup for the program on Monday, August 30. Click here to register. 

Goals for making e-bikes affordable to more Californians

CalBike is working to make sure the program meets the goals we developed in collaboration with stakeholders from the environmental justice community, local community organizations like Active SGV, local public agencies like utility companies, and disparate sectors of the bike industry. 

• Help people replace car trips with e-bike trips.
• Prioritize grants to individuals from low-income households.
• Define eligibility for the program as individuals and households with incomes below the maximum limits established in the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project.
• Support related programs and benefits, such as safety education.
• Provide support for a variety of electric bicycles, including, but not limited to, bicycles designed for people with disabilities; utility bikes for carrying equipment or passengers, including children; and folding e-bikes.
• Support local small businesses and organizations, such as retail bicycle shops and nonprofit organizations, including community bicycle shops.
• Collaborate with other state departments and agencies to enforce safeguards against fraudulent activity by sellers and purchasers of e-bikes in accordance with the law.
• Ensure that e-bikes purchased through this program meet a high standard of quality and durability.