Electric bikes are increasingly becoming a go-to form of transportation as consumers look to curb their carbon emissions. According to the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy, e-bikes can be a suitable alternative to car travel, particularly for shorter trips. This fact can be especially appealing to city dwellers making quick errands in urban areas starved for parking.
Operating an e-bike can also be far more cost-effective than driving a car. According to a REI blog post, an entry-level e-bike can run you about $1,000, and a high-end one can cost $6,000 or more. Edmunds says the 2024 best Economy extra small sedan, the Versa, starts at more than $16,000, and the best-ranked 2024 Economy small sedan, the Honda Civic, starts at more than $24,000.
According to the United States Department of Energy, e-bike sales were around 1.1 million in the U.S. in 2022, almost four times the number in 2019. On top of the initial investment, electricity is also cheaper to supply than gasoline, and e-bikes have lower maintenance costs due to fewer moving parts and simpler mechanics.
Photo Courtesy Himiway Bikes
As the country strives to meet the energy transition demands, cities and states are looking for ways to entice residents to make clean-energy transportation choices. One of these incentives is e-bike rebates and vouchers, which have proven to be a powerful tool to help people replace cars or establish transit independence.
In line with this trend, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has announced its e-bike incentive program — the California E-bike Incentive Project — which kicked off on Dec. 18, 2024.
“By using e-bikes, people can get around and meet everyday needs while improving air quality,” Dr. Steven Cliff, CARB’s executive officer, said in a press release. “Prioritizing equity and access is key as we work to achieve our zero-emissions goals, and this incentive program will support those efforts by helping e-bikes be part of the solution.”
Photo Courtesy Himiway Bikes
The program will offer multiple incentive windows, with the first drawing upon $3 million in funding, or enough to cover around 1,500 e-bike vouchers. The e-bike program will be limited to income-eligible state residents, with a sliding scale based on three times the federal poverty line and the number of household residents.
Priority applicants are considered those with household incomes under 2.25x the federal poverty line. CARB started taking applications at 6 p.m. on Dec. 18 until vouchers were exhausted. In other state programs, this could be quick — in Denver, Colorado, each round of new e-bike vouchers can be exhausted in around one minute.
Photo Courtesy Dushawn Jovic
The base voucher is set at $1,750, with an additional $250 provided to priority applicants, with the maximum voucher at $2,000. The money can be used to buy an eligible e-bike and accessories such as a helmet, bike lock, racks, baskets, fenders, lights, mirrors, and reflective clothing.
Bikes must meet several standards to be eligible for purchase using the CARB program’s incentive — used bikes, mopeds, and scooters are not covered. They must have a lighting system that runs off the e-bike’s main battery, be tested for compliance with safety certification, offer at least a one-year warranty, and be delivered fully assembled. The program website includes a list of eligible e-bike models and brands, including Rad Power Bikes, Aventon, and Velotric.
