‘We want to make sure we get it right’: Why $10M e-bike program still hasn’t launched statewide

When 50-year-old Heather Cordova rides her government-provided electric bike to work, she feels like a kid again. 

Around 6:30 a.m., she’ll pop in some earphones to listen to a podcast, snap on a helmet and travel about 40 minutes from her downtown San Diego apartment to Chula Vista.

“Not to say I was unhappy before, but this has just brought so much joy to my life,” Cordova said.

Cordova’s free e-bike is part of a local partnership involving the nonprofit Pedal Ahead, which rolled out a “loan-to-own” program for San Diego County residents as an alternative to driving cars.

The nonprofit plans to operate a similar program statewide under a $10 million grant it received from the California Air Resources Board, or CARB. But roughly a year after its originally planned launch date, the program has yet to officially start.

CARB spokesperson Lys Mendez told inewsource that the state’s E-Bike Incentive Project is now expected to begin in the spring, as officials need more time for “infrastructure building” — essentially, making sure Pedal Ahead runs smoothly statewide. That includes organizing with e-bike retailers and community groups that can help get the word out and educate the public about the program, she said.

“Since it does target low-income Californians, all of that does require building that infrastructure,” Mendez said. “We want to make sure we get it right.”

To be eligible for the state’s program, participants must earn an annual household income below 300% of the federal poverty level. That can look like a person living alone earning $43,740 or less per year or a household of three earning $74,580 or less per year, for example. 

Residents must also be at least 18 years old to apply for a voucher to get a free e-bike from a program-selected retailer, such as a local bike shop. Participants will need to own the e-bike for at least a year and complete surveys about the experience.

The approval process may take up to three months.

Ed Clancy, Pedal Ahead’s founder and president, said the group estimates it will fund about 5,500 e-bikes. A bike voucher will range from $1,000 to $2,000.

“So, come launch time, it’s robust,” he said.

But as inewsource previously reported, Pedal Ahead suffered from low participation when it launched its San Diego program in 2020, with just a fraction of local participants logging enough miles to keep their bikes — and some reporting far fewer miles than what’s required, or none at all. The program also didn’t use an income requirement, allowing people who didn’t qualify as low income to receive a bike.

Despite that, Pedal Ahead beat two other applicants to administer the state program, with CARB citing the nonprofit’s “proven, on-the-ground experience” in San Diego.

Some money has been spent ahead of the program officially opening statewide. A preliminary “soft launch” is already happening in San Diego, the East Bay in Northern California, Fresno and in tribal communities, Mendez said. In those locations, she said the state is “currently testing key aspects” of the program. 

More details about the spending will become available after the program officially launches statewide, she said.

So far, an e-bike program operating under a partnership between Pedal Ahead and the San Diego Association of Governments, or SANDAG, is seeing success. The program has mileage requirements for its 120 participants, all of whom are considered low income.

SANDAG said 85% of participants are successfully meeting the program’s goal of logging at least 100 miles each month. Most participants — about 60% — ride their e-bikes to work or school. 

Twenty-nine percent of participants use their e-bikes for daily commuting, and almost half of all participants increased their monthly mileage since the beginning of the program. 

The largest portion of riders live in central San Diego, the agency said.

Clancy said SANDAG’s program has been successful because of the level of interaction staff have with participants, such as organizing monthly meetups, hosting group rides and taking more time to help participants integrate e-bikes into their everyday lives. 

“It’s just very comforting to know that we’re able to impact community members and (give them) this opportunity to benefit from it,” Clancy said.

James Thomas, 50, who received an e-bike in 2022 from SANDAG’s program, said military veterans with physical impairments like him can especially benefit: The riding has been good for his joints and serves as recreational therapy. He couples his rides with public transportation and uses his bike about four or five times a week to get to support groups, appointments, and volunteer work for fellow veterans. 

He said e-bikes with a pedal-assist feature are also more practical than regular bicycles around San Diego’s hills. 

“If I’m having a bad day or just don’t want to get out and do anything, I can always jump on my bike,” Thomas said. He’s eager to see more vouchers become available.

Cordova, who also participates in the SANDAG program, said her e-bike has improved her stamina and overall health. Her knees and back don’t hurt anymore, for example. 

She hasn’t had a vehicle in three years by choice, and she plans to keep it that way.

“Not having to pay for the gas or even talk about gas prices is a nice thing,” Cordova said.