Aiming to get more e-bikes in use across the state, California officials said they will start providing income-eligible residents with up to $2,000 toward the purchase of a new e-bike and related accessories starting Dec. 18.
It’s the latest example of how the state is attempting to boost expanded access to zero-emissions transportation options.
The California E-bike Incentive Project is being launched in partnership with more than 20 community-based organizations that have agreed to handle outreach and provide application assistance, said a statement from California Climate Investments, part of the California Air Resources Board.
The program will begin accepting applications on its website at 6 p.m. on Dec. 18, with applications being processed in the order received until voucher funds are exhausted.
The first installment of the state’s launch will offer $3 million to help fund up to 1,500 e-bikes.
Potential purchasers are expected to also watch a rider safety video before collecting the voucher, according to the California Climate Investments’ statement.
Once they’re approved, income-eligible individuals can redeem the voucher at various state-approved retailers statewide, including three in Redding — ChainGang Bike Shop, Pedago Redding and The Bike Shop.
Pedago Redding owner Jasper Hudson said e-bikes at his store range in price up to $4,000. The state’s e-bike vouchers have been in the works for a while, said Hudson, adding that he’s mentioned the possibility of vouchers to a “handful” of shoppers in the past.
Related: Downtown Redding is getting e-bikes under a $1M clean energy grant. Here’s why
The statewide California Climate Investments program uses money raised by Cap-and-Trade programs to reduce pollution from greenhouse gas emissions to cover the grants.For more details, visit: www.ebikeincentives.org.
Redding Electric Utlility also offers income-based rebates to people wanting to buy pedal-assist bikes. According to the agency’s website, qualified customers will receive a voucher of up to $1,150 toward purchasing an eligible e-bike, lock and helmet “but will still be responsible for paying the remaining balance owed at the time of purchase” as well as any upkeep or repair costs.
E-bikes contain an electric motor that is activated when riders start pedaling, making it easier for people to climb hills and travel longer distances on their bikes. E-bikes can be a suitable alternative to car travel on shorter trips, according to the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy.
Anne Thomas of Shasta Living Streets poses with the Yuba Spicy Curry electric cargo bike that the group is raffling through June 16, 2022. Shasta Living Streets says on its website that it’s a local organization dedicated to building better bikeways and trails, walkable cities and vibrant public places in Shasta County.
The California legislature appropriated funding for the e-bike program to cut pollution, lower transportation costs for low-income Californians and help replace car trips, according to the state’s release.
“By using e-bikes, people can get around and meet everyday needs while improving air quality,” said CARB’s Executive Officer, Dr. Steven Cliff. “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.”
Before being rolled out statewide, the program was tested in four locations across California, including Barrio Logan in San Diego, downtown Fresno, the East Bay Area and in partnership with a few tribal governments.
In September, California launched a new income-based grant and loan assistance program to help with the purchase of clean vehicles. A recently approved funding plan focuses incentive resources on supporting small businesses with the switch to cleaner technology for their fleets, according to the state’s press release.
The upcoming e-bike purchase voucher follows an effort in 2021, when the McConnell Foundation community-building group in Redding snared a $1 million, four-year grant intended to launch the city’s first electric bike-sharing program.
The Shasta Bike Depot is seen from the outside on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024 prior to a public gathering to celebrate the project’s completion. Next to the Bike Depot is Pipeline Redding. That restaurant and the depot make up the Bell Plaza in downtown Redding.
Redding nonprofit Shasta Living Streets — which advocates for roadways to be used for more than cars — runs the program.
That bike-sharing initiative is designed so people can use electric-assist bikes to ride to work or to ride for fun, no matter what their income, said Anne Wallach Thomas, executive director of Shasta Living Streets.
As for the e-bike purchase incentives, she said, people eligible for the income-based vouchers often live in small spaces, perhaps on an upper floor, and may not have a garage or other location to keep the bike safe.
And, she said, people of moderate incomes often don’t have the money for upkeep or repairs, or to pay for the up-front portion of an e-bike’s cost that is not covered by a rebate.
While calling the various e-bike ownerships rebate efforts “noble,” Thomas said, the people the rebates are designed for “are people living with many challenges. The bikes are not cheap, even with the rebates.”
Michele Chandler covers dining, food, public safety and whatever else comes up for the Redding Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. Accepts story tips at 530-338-7753 and at mrchandler@gannett.com. Please support our entire newsroom’s commitment to public service journalism by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: California offers ebike rebate of $2K. How, when to apply
