Everybody always wants to know, do I support better bicycle infrastructure in the U.S.? Can I still be a car-and-motorcycle guy if I do? The answers to those are “you bet I do,” and “duh.” I’ve reviewed cars, motorcycles, and electric bikes (ebikes) as a professional for years, and there’s a place for them all. I wouldn’t take an ebike down from New York to Philadelphia for work, and I wouldn’t drive my car through New York City to run errands.
There’s been talk for years of individual states nudging people toward ebikes to help alleviate some of the congestion of overcrowded roads, and the idea of an ebike credit has been kicked around to no avail. Leave it to California to make it a reality, though. The first round of applications for California residents to receive a $2,000 credit toward an ebike purchase goes live today, December 18, at 6 PM PST. Find out if you’re eligible here.
money, money, money. money!
While prices for ebikes are steadily dropping year after year, they remain pricey. It’s one of the main forehead-slapping moments I encounter when people excitedly ask me whether they should get an ebike, and then after I tell them that they should expect to spend at least a grand, they far more often than not say “nevermind.” Mentally, they exit the conversation so fast, it’s like a reverse possession.
So what can you get for $2,000 in the ebike world? Quite a lot, actually. Some very nice hardware. There are rules on what you can buy with the credit if you’re approved, though the rules list is reasonable and not that restrictive. Worth noting is that the base voucher is for $1,750, with another $250 given to “priority applicants.” Those are defined as households with an income level of no more than 225% of the federal poverty level (FPL). If your house’s combined income is no more than 300% of the FPL, but more than 225%, you get the $1,750 but not the bonus $250. Check the income thresholds here.
the finer print
Whatever you choose to buy, you have to buy it from an approved online or brick-and-mortar store. No weird mystery models that are brought in on a flatbed from Japan in the middle of night by a crew of Wiseguys.
The ebikes need to come with (at least) a one-year manufacturer’s warranty and be fully assembled. Lots of direct-to-consumer ebikes are delivered partially assembled. I’ve put together a bunch that arrive mostly intact in the shipping box, only needing the handlebars and front wheels put on. We’ll have to see how particular California’s program is, lest it exclude a lot of very quality ebike manufacturers who ship that way, or people who live far from bicycle stores.
Your chosen mount can be class 1, 2, or 3. Ebike manufacturer Aventon put together an explainer on the differences. Beyond the normal step-through or step-over ebikes, you can also buy a cargo ebike for toting around, well, cargo or kids. “Adaptive” ebikes, such as tricycles, handbikes, and recumbents are also eligible.
The interesting bit of fine print I found was that eligible bikes have to come with an integrated headlight that runs off the ebike’s battery. I can see the logic behind this safety-oriented stipulation, but it does exclude some good bikes. Personally, I think having a battery-powered headlight should suffice. The program says a battery-powered taillight is fine, so why not a headlight?
worth the hassle?
In one word, yes. There are a few steps you need to complete in order to apply, and then if selected, to receive the voucher. But this is for $1,750-2,000, and you’re let loose to spend it on some very nice ebikes, not some discount junk that nobody wants. If you’ve been meaning to get on the ebike bandwagon, or if you just want to save some gas money, it doesn’t hurt to try. With a solid reception and a bit of luck from the fickle winds of politics, let’s cross our fingers that we see more ebike credit programs like this in the future.
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