Update: E-Bike Voucher Program Moving Forward — Slowly
When the legislature allocated $10 million for e-bike subsidies in the budget for this fiscal year, it included language stating that the program would launch on July 1, 2022. However, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has moved more slowly, so the program is not yet ready to launch. Here’s what we do and don’t know about California’s statewide e-bike voucher program.
What’s the current status of the e-bike voucher program?
CARB is working on selecting a vendor to administer the program. We expect the agency to announce the vendor soon.
When will e-bike vouchers become available?
It’s not clear yet how soon the program will begin offering vouchers for e-bike purchases. Once a program administrator is in place, we hope to start getting more information, including a timeline for implementation.
What is CalBike’s role in the e-bike voucher program?
CalBike advocated for the $10 million budget allocation to help Californians buy e-bikes. We continue to follow the program closely and work with CARB to ensure that the vendor administers the program effectively and equitably.
CalBike doesn’t have any authority to set the rules of the e-bike program or give out vouchers. Our role as an outside watchdog allows us to advocate for things that will make the program successful, such as providing large enough grants to make an e-bike truly affordable.
CalBike will also continue to spread the word about e-bike vouchers, particularly once they become available so that the program is a success and we can have a much larger budget allocation next year!
Who is eligible for an e-bike voucher?
The eligibility criteria haven’t been firmly established. Still, early indications are that there will be an income eligibility requirement, with all or most of the first $10 million in funding going to low-income California residents.
We hope to get more information about eligibility once the vendor outlines an implementation plan, and we will share that information once we have it.
How much will the e-bike subsidies be?
The program administrator will set e-bike subsidy levels.
How do I apply for an e-bike purchase voucher?
There’s no application process in place as yet; the program administrator will put that in place.
What if the e-bike program runs out of money?
If the e-bike program quickly distributes all its funds, that would demonstrate the demand for this subsidy, and we would consider that a success. CalBike will advocate for more funding in future budgets, and we hope the program will secure funding to continue without interruption.
How do I find out more about e-bike purchase incentives?
Please sign our list to get updates about the program. Going forward, we expect to send more frequent updates as the details of the e-bike voucher program unfold.
