Qualified California Residents Can Get $2,000 From the State for an E-Bike

Income-eligible Californians can get up to $2,000 each to buy a brand-new electric bicycle through the California E-Bike Incentive Project. 

The program, from the California Air Resources Board (CARB), will provide $7.5 million to help residents in disadvantaged communities, low-income communities and low-income households purchase an e-bike. They are offering $1,750 vouchers to qualifying individuals, along with an extra $250 if additional income requirements are met. 

CARB oversees all air pollution control efforts in California, with a mission to “promote and protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through effective reduction of air pollutants.”

The initiative aims to tackle pollution and increase access to transportation by providing e-bikes that can help riders cover long distances faster for work commutes or make it easier to run errands such as buying and transporting groceries.

“While the San Fernando Valley is desperate for public transportation infrastructure, I am grateful the state is bringing in other avenues of assistance,” State Sen. Caroline Menjivar wrote in a statement to the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol. 

“As we continue to build out protected bike lanes, we are now providing the financial support to purchase e-bikes that will help in getting from one side of the Valley to the other. We must continue to be creative and forward-thinking as we navigate ways to address the need for improved transportation options for all residents of the Valley,” she continued. 

Multiple types of e-bikes are being offered to meet the needs of each rider, including class 1–3 e-bikes with top speeds of 28 miles per hour, cargo e-bikes and adaptive e-bikes. 

Vouchers can only be used at one of the hundreds of participating e-bike retailers across the state, including locally at Willy’s Bike Shop in Lakeview Terrace, Joseph’s Bike Shop in Granada Hills, E-Bike Premier in Northridge and Retro Xpress Bicycles in Van Nuys. 

The first installment offered $3 million to help fund up to 1,500 e-bikes, which is only about 10% of the total amount that will be distributed. Applications opened on Wednesday, Dec. 18; however, they have already closed for this first round. 

On the California E-Bike Incentive Project website, a notice reads: “We are no longer accepting incentive applications. We will be announcing additional application windows in coming days. Please subscribe to our email list below for the latest updates.”

So, if you are interested in the program and missed this opportunity, don’t worry, you will have more chances to get an e-bike. More vouchers will be distributed every two to three months until program funding runs out. 

But don’t wait until the last minute, or you might miss the next opportunity. Find out what the requirements are and be prepared with all the information needed to apply. 

Who is Eligible?

There are only two requirements to apply for the program. You must be a California resident 18 years of age or older with a qualifying household income of 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) or less.

The application process, which includes residency verification, income verification and education/safety training requirements, may take up to 60 days. 

To meet the residency requirements, you’ll need a valid California driver’s license, California AB 60 license or California ID card.

For income requirements, the program takes into account how many people are in your household, including spouses, kids, parents or roommates. Check the chart for income eligibility.

The Voucher Process

After completing each step of the online application, approved applicants will receive an email notifying them of the incentive amount and the voucher expiration date. Vouchers must be redeemed within 45 days of issuance. 

If your application is deemed ineligible, you will receive an email with either instructions on how to resubmit with the required information or a notification that you are not eligible under the program requirements.

Once you decide on an e-bike that is right for you from one of the approved retailers, complete the online training and redeem your voucher with the e-bike retailer. 

For more information visit: www.ebikeincentives.org.