What Happened to the California E-Bike Incentive Program?
Written by: Rémy Rossi | November 24, 2025 | Time to read 3 min
California pulled the plug on its electric bike voucher program. Here’s how the popular program skidded to a stop.
More about the Author: Rémy Rossi
Rémy Rossi is a bike writer, mechanic, and educator who got his start in community-based bike shops and co-ops. With a decade in the industry, he still wrenches on bikes when he can and plays bike polo on a fixie.
There's bad news for California residents hoping to get a slice of the action from their state’s electric bike voucher program. In a surprise move, the Golden State pulled the plug on the program, which had recently doled out its second round of vouchers to income-qualified applicants. As an authorized retailer, Upway sold multiple electric bikes through the California E-Bike Incentive Project. The latest information reveals that the remaining funding— around $18 million— will go toward subsidies for electric cars instead.
What was the California E-Bike Incentive Project?
The California E-Bike Incentive Project offered income-qualified residents up to $2,000 toward a new e-Bike, with funding from the California Air Resources Board. Eligibility was income-based: adult California residents with household incomes at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level could apply, with lower-income applicants receiving larger incentives.
Applicants applied through the official portal, and extremely heavy demand and limited funding meant many people weren’t selected. For the lucky few, the voucher was applied instantly at checkout at participating retailers, such as Upway or traditional bike shops. In the end, only 2,100 vouchers were awarded after two rounds of the program, though more than 100,000 people applied.
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What happened to the California e-Bike incentive program?
By late October, it came to light that the state had decided to put a sudden end to the popular e-Bike voucher program. The third round of applications was expended sometime in the early part of 2026. California Air Resources Board (CARB) oversaw the program but did not publicly announce the decision to end the program, leading to little awareness and sparse information about the reasons why. A spokesperson for CARB claimed that the decision was made due to budget concerns, although there were approved funds still remaining to be allocated.
This murky end to the program comes shortly after its rocky start in January, after years of delays and hiccups, including two state investigations into the nonprofit chosen to administer the program.
The remaining funding will now be allocated to California’s Clean Cars 4 All initiative, much to the chagrin of cycling advocates statewide. That program provides financial incentives to encourage residents to swap their gas-powered cars for electric vehicles. In previous articles discussing sustainable policies, I’ve explained that e-Bike initiatives are much more cost-effective than more expensive subsidies for electric cars.
This murky end to the program comes shortly after its rocky start in January, after years of delays and hiccups, including two state investigations into the nonprofit chosen to administer the program.
The remaining funding will now be allocated to California’s Clean Cars 4 All initiative, much to the chagrin of cycling advocates statewide. That program provides financial incentives to encourage residents to swap their gas-powered cars for electric vehicles. In previous articles discussing sustainable policies, I’ve explained that e-Bike initiatives are much more cost-effective than more expensive subsidies for electric cars.
Will California have another e-Bike voucher in the future?
There are no current plans for another e-Bike voucher program in California, despite the incredibly high demand demonstrated during the first two rounds. Cycling groups and e-Bike advocates are hopeful that funding may be restored, especially as other states and cities are gradually embracing similar models for e-Bike adoption.
Despite the end of CA’s e-Bike voucher, it’s still possible to buy an electric bike at an affordable price! Upway has a huge selection of models of all styles, from commuter e-Bikes to e-MTBs and electric cargo bikes. And thanks to our Los Angeles UpCenter, shipping and delivery for California residents is lightning fast.
Despite the end of CA’s e-Bike voucher, it’s still possible to buy an electric bike at an affordable price! Upway has a huge selection of models of all styles, from commuter e-Bikes to e-MTBs and electric cargo bikes. And thanks to our Los Angeles UpCenter, shipping and delivery for California residents is lightning fast.
Key Takeaways
- The California E-Bike Incentive Program was abruptly ended despite remaining funds and massive demand.
- Only 2,100 vouchers were issued, with leftover money redirected to electric car subsidies.
- No replacement program is planned, though advocates are pushing for future e-bike incentives.
