Californians Can Get Up to $2,000 to Buy E-Bikes With New Program

A Pedego Electric Bike on display at the company's offices in Fountain Valley, Calif., on Jan. 14, 2021. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

Qualified California residents can receive up to $2,000 to buy an electric bike under the state’s newest green incentive program.

Starting at 6 p.m. on Dec. 18, applications for the California Air Resources Board’s E-Bike Incentive Project will be available to state residents who are 18 or older and meet certain low-income requirements.

People with household incomes of less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible to receive vouchers of up to $2,000.

To qualify, a household of one person must make less than $45,180 a year; two-person households must bring in less than $61,320; a three-person household must earn less than $77,460; and a four-person household can’t make more than $93,600 a year, according to the program.

A portion of the incentives are also set aside for priority applicants of a defined lower-income or disadvantaged group.

Applicants must also participate in survey evaluations and complete e-bike safety training.

The base incentive award is $1,750. An additional $250 is given to participants who are lower-income, live in a disadvantaged community, or live in a low-income community as defined by Assembly Bill 1550.

According to the legislation, “low-income communities” are tracts with a median household income at or below 80 percent of the statewide median income, or with median household incomes at or below the threshold designated low income by the Department of Housing and Community Development.

The project is administered by Pedal Ahead, a San Diego-based nonprofit that incentivizes the use of electric bikes to change methods of transportation away from combustion engines.

“We believe that electric bikes have the potential to improve the lives of people living in financially under-served communities, while also contributing to a healthier environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” Pedal Ahead stated on its website.

A man rides an e-bike in San Diego on March 27, 2021. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

The popularity of e-bikes has increased recently. Besides being cheaper than a vehicle, the bikes encourage exercise, leading to improved health, the group stated.

Those who qualify will be sent a voucher to be redeemed at authorized e-bike retailers. The money can be used to purchase an e-bike and any related accessories, including a helmet, bike lock, racks, baskets, mirrors, lights, and other items.