Here's how you can get California to help pay for your e-bike this Christmas
Starting Dec. 18, eligible Californians can apply for a voucher of up to $2,000 toward the purchase of an e-bike as part of a new state incentive program.
The California E-Bike Incentive Project, launched by the California Air Resources Board, was established to help lower cost barriers to transportation methods that aim to replace car trips and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Unlike rebates and tax credits for electric cars, applicants don't have to first buy the e-bike to get the incentive. The voucher acts as a discount at the point of buying an e-bike.
According to the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy, e-bikes can be a suitable alternative to car travel because they can "cover longer distance trips with less effort, relative to traditional pedal bikes."
E-bike prices range from an average of $2,000 up to $6,000, according to outdoor recreational retailer REI. Experts recommend that consumers avoid extremely low-priced electric bikes, which often come with cheaper parts and overall lower quality, according to Consumer Reports.
Last year, researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado found that e-bikes served an unmet transportation need for people who didn't have access to a car. E-bike riders who did have access to their own vehicle said they preferred the electric bicycle because it was more convenient for trips that were one to four miles in distance, the researchers said.
They also found the benefits of e-bikes included charging and repair costs that are a fraction of such costs associated with cars. E-bike users also have the benefit of a healthy physical activity, free parking, and knowing they are helping reduce traffic.
Read more: California to offer EV rebates if Trump kills $7,500 tax credit, Newsom says
E-bikes are a transportation method that people can use to get around every day while improving air quality, Steven Cliff, executive officer for the California Air Resources Board, said in a statement.
“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,” Cliff said.
The program will begin with $3 million, with the goal of providing vouchers for the purchase of 1,500 e-bikes. Once the program runs out of vouchers it's unclear whether the state will add more funding.
The program will start to accept applications at the website ebikeincentives.org at 6 p.m. Pacific on Dec. 18. Applications will be processed in the order received until the vouchers are exhausted.
Who is eligible for the program?
Applicants must be California residents who are 18 years or older with an annual household income at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level. That means that a single-person household must make no more than about $45,000 per year and a two-member household must make no more than $61,000 to qualify.
Applicants whose income is at or below 225% of the Federal Poverty Level will receive priority on the application list. This means a single-family household must make no more than about $33,000 and a two-member household income must be no more than $45,000 to get priority.
How are the vouchers used?
Once the application has been submitted online and all of the eligibility requirements are met, the applicant will receive an approval notification with the voucher via email.
Vouchers can be redeemed at retailers who are participating in the program, including 131 retailers in Los Angeles and Orange counties. For an extensive list including a retailer's contact information, visit the project's online retailer map.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
