E-Bike Resources

Information about electric bikes, e-bike regulation, and e-bike safety.

e-bike

E-Bike Purchase Incentives FAQs

California’s E-Bike Purchase Incentive Project is distributing vouchers in a series of application windows. The next opportunity to apply is April 29, 2025. We will post upcoming application windows here and on our e-bike campaign page. Pedal Ahead, the administrator of this program for the California Air Resources Board (CARB), has published its own FAQs. […]

CalBike succeeds in passing e-bike voucher bill in Senate

California’s E-Bike Incentives Are Finally Here

This post was originally published 12/11/24 and updated 12/16/24. The California Air Resources Board announced that its much-delayed E-Bike Incentive Project would open for applications on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, at 6:00 pm PT. CARB won’t release all $31 million in vouchers on that date; it still plans to do a phased program, releasing a […]

How to Fight E-Bike Backlash

In a state where 4,000 people die annually and many more are injured due to traffic violence, some California cities are freaking out because teenagers on e-bikes…did a wheelie? The ultra-conservative enclave of Huntington Beach enacted a draconian law last year that allows police to impound bicycles of youth found to have violated its (probably […]

Yuba e-bike

What Is an E-Bike? A Guide to California E-Bike Classifications.

Note: This information was compiled in August of 2023 and updated in June 2024. California laws and regulations are subject to change. Please consult the California Vehicle Code (CVC) sections governing e-bikes for the most up-to-date information. Some of the recent furor over the increased presence of e-bikes on California streets has centered on mobility […]

New E-Bike Training Resources Come Online

Over the past few months, government and nonprofit groups have published three online e-bike riding resources. We’ve reviewed them all so we can give you an overview. Three e-bike courses The training resources were created by the California Highway Patrol (CHP), PeopleForBikes (with the League of American Bicyclists and Bicycle Colorado), and the California Air […]

e-bike

Why You Should Support E-Bikes, Even if You Don’t Ride One

E-bikes have grown in popularity over the past few years and are now the top-selling electric vehicle in the US. Along with their increased presence on California streets has come a backlash. While some of the ire has come from people driving cars who don’t want to share “their” streets with any kind of bike […]

speeding car

Speed Kills: Addressing the Real Road Hazard

Cities throughout California have taken steps to regulate e-bikes based on the belief that increased e-bike use is leading to collisions and dangerous conditions. These efforts ignore the real road hazard: speeding motor vehicle drivers.  Reducing speeds on city streets is the best way to protect people biking and walking, especially those most vulnerable. A […]

e-bike battery

Preventing E-Bike Battery Fires

This post was updated to correct some technical information. Thank you to PeopleForBikes for providing additional information about lithium batteries and safety certifications. E-bikes aren’t inherently dangerous on the road and may even be safer in some situations if the electric boost allows a rider to escape a dangerous traffic situation. Much of the current […]

e-bikes deserve rebates

The Case Against E-Bike Licensing

Amid rising safety concerns, particularly in Southern California, proposals to add more restrictions to who can ride an e-bike and to require e-bike riders to have a license have gained steam. In 2024, the legislature will consider a bill to do just that. And the Huntington Beach City Council has announced its intention to develop […]

Media Guide: How to Report on Collisions Involving E-bikes  

“Teens Are Dying on E-Bikes. Should California Regulate Them?” This recent New York Times headline exemplifies a disturbing trend in reporting on e-bike safety. Headlines like this imply that e-bikes are lethal (not motor vehicle drivers colliding with people on e-bikes) and perpetuate the dehumanization of people who ride bikes and make invisible the role […]

E-Bike Incentive Programs

Compiled by Climate Action Center