Pedal Ahead, the administrator of the California E-bike Incentive project, has released a video explaining what you need in order to apply for the incentives. The first launch window opens at 6 p.m. tomorrow, Wednesday.
If you plan to apply, give it a watch, because there's a lot to prepare. The video takes you step by step through every section of the application process. It advises applicants to have any necessary documents (see below) lined up and ready to upload ahead of time. There are also two training videos (see below), which applicants much watch before the application can be completed.
Also: ensure you have a stable internet connection, and be prepared to spend twenty to thirty minutes on the application itself. You must get all the way to the end of the application, including uploading required documents, and hit "submit" - if you close the application window before you do so, you will have to start over.
The first thing you must do - to get your "place in line" - is create a login with a password.
The launch is a bit of a test - as the first public application window - so fingers crossed that it all goes smoothly. There is $31 million available in the program, which could provide a total of about 15,000 vouchers. But there are only 1,500 vouchers are being released tomorrow, and they will go quickly. There will be more application windows at some point in 2025, but the administrators have not yet set a date for a second launch.
If you are approved for a voucher, it could take up to sixty days to find that out. Applicants have 45 days to use the vouchers; if you need that to be extended, it's possible, but you would need to apply for it.
CalBike recently held a webinar to help people prepare for the application window. They fielded many detailed questions about a range of topics, including what documents can be submitted, what the vouchers can be used for, and what kinds of e-bikes are eligible for the incentives.
At any rate, if you qualify - that is, if you are a California resident at least eighteen years old with an income at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level - then line up documents that show proof of residence and income, watch the training videos, crack your knuckles, and be ready to apply when the window launches.
Good luck!
Income
A household of one person must make $45,180 or less annually; a household of two must be at or below $61,320, of three: $77,460, etc. Households include you, a spouse or registered domestic partner, and dependents or guardians (so students who are supported by their parents must include their parents' incomes in their calculations).
Documents
Proof of income: tax returns, social security statements, Section 8 assistance, unemployment statements, and the like. A list is here.
Proof of residency: Only three documents will be accepted: a current, valid California Driver’s License, a California A.B. 60 License, or a California ID Card. If you have only an out-of-date version of one of these, upload that for now, but eventually you must provide a valid one.
Videos
You must watch both a twelve-minute safety video and a five-minute video on climate impacts. You cannot complete the application unless you have watched them. Both are available to watch here.
Even if you're not applying for the vouchers, watch the safety one anyway. It contains information everyone ought to know.
More information about e-bikes and where they can be obtained is available on the project website, including a list of approved retailers who can help you choose an approved bike.
