California E-bike Incentive Program Is Coming into Focus

he California e-bike incentive program's public workgroup met for the last time yesterday to hear how the program is shaping up and allow some last comments on program plans.

This last workgroup discussed the "final proposed criteria" for the program, including eligibility, funding, and the application process. Many of these program pieces still have details being worked out, and commenters continue to have strong and sometimes opposing opinions about several of the topics. Below are the details of these final proposed criteria, which may still undergo some changes as the launch date approaches. California Air Resources Board (CARB) staff has considered and incorporated many comments from previous workgroups, and program manager Shawn Ransom says that will also be the case this time.

At any rate, the program has a clearer shape than it had before now. For example, program eligibility is clearly defined.

Staff expect to finalize the program website - it is not up as of yet - in May, open with a soft launch in June, and, after evaluating lessons learned from that, open up the statewide program in the third quarter of 2023.