California launched a groundbreaking program to make e-bikes more affordable for low-income residents. Then, it quietly canceled the project — and funneled funding toward cars, instead.

What's happening?

The California Air Resources Board's E-Bike Incentive Project promised to reduce the upfront cost of e-bikes by offering vouchers of up to $2,000, according to Streetsblog.

But after a beleaguered program rollout in which most eligible applicants were denied vouchers due to limited supply, CARB ended the e-bike initiative and reallocated its $17 million in remaining funding to its "Clean Cars 4 All" program, as Electrek reported.

Demand for the vouchers far outpaced the supply — and the application portal's technological capacity. Once, when CARB opened the portal, the website crashed, and no vouchers were distributed. Another time, the application window closed just minutes after it opened, leaving countless eligible Californians empty-handed.

Online commenters were furious at the program's demise. 

"This is so disappointing," one Redditor wrote. "They talked about the e bike voucher thing for years and then just pulled the plug before it even started."

Why are e-bikes important?

As cities around the world try to make it easier to live car-free, e-bikes provide a healthy, convenient, and cost-effective alternative to gas guzzlers. They also make neighborhoods safer by reducing pollution from tailpipe pollution and by keeping dangerous cars off the road.

Best of all, though, riding an e-bike is just plain fun. Instead of sitting in rush-hour traffic, e-bike riders reap the benefits of spending time outside on their commutes.

What's being done to make e-bikes more affordable?

Without vouchers from CARB, Californians will have to look elsewhere for discounts on e-bikes. Upway is a great place to start, since it offers e-bikes for up to 60% off retail prices. If you already have an e-bike and are ready for an upgrade, Upway also buys e-bikes while offering $150 promo codes for new purchases.

As the e-bike market expands, it's getting easier to find affordable options. Bicycling magazine offers a list of nearly a dozen quality e-bikes under $2,000 — far less than the price of a car — with options as low as $600.

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