Next Steps for California’s E-Bike Voucher Program
Last week, the California Air Resources Board finally issued its request for proposals to administer the $10 million electric bicycle purchase incentive program. CalBike worked with Assembly champions Tasha Boerner Horvath and Richard Bloom to get the program approved in 2021.
CalBike members and a number of industry leaders have supported our work to shape the program to meet our goals:
- Replacing car trips with bike trips
- Supporting low-income Californians
- Supporting all kinds of e-bikes, including cargo bikes, bikes for people with disabilities
- Supporting retail shops and community organizations
- Providing safety education
- Moving quickly, in order to get more funding in future years
How well those goals are met will depend upon who gets the contract to administer the program and how they operate it. CalBike’s first impression of CARB’s RFP is that it’s likely to produce great results. The RFP emphasizes quick action and reducing car trips, and it calls for low administrative costs, which means more bikes in the hands of more people.
CARB is accepting applications until May 10. It will choose the administrator by June 10 and deliver the funds by July 1, as required by law.
E-bike vouchers will become available a few months after July 1; the exact date of launch will depend on the timeline of the vendor selected to administer the program.
CalBike is working with potential applicants to make sure their proposals are as strong as possible. To stay informed about the process, sign up to receive updates.
