California wanted to buy e-bikes for residents. Glitches, funding short-circuited the effort

"To offset the cost of the e-bikes, which can run in the thousands of dollars, the state launched a generous voucher program - one that heavily subsidized, and in some cases completely offset, the purchase price. Demand soared. That's when the problems began. Vouchers were quickly snatched up. A website set up to manage applications crashed amid heavy demand. Despite wide public interest, the program quietly and abruptly ended last year - a victim, in some ways, of its own success."

"Briana Villaverde was one of about 2,300 Californians who secured a state-funded voucher that reduced the out-of-pocket cost for her Urtopia e-bike. The 26-year-old Paramount resident relies on her ride to get to the L.A. Metro A Line in Compton as part of her daily work commute. Her bright yellow two-wheeler would often turn heads. That attention would turn to intrigue when she explained that the sweet ride had only set her back $90."

California created the California E-Bike Incentive Project in 2022 to lower cost barriers to electric bicycles and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by offering vouchers that subsidized purchases. The pilot provided vouchers before purchase so applicants could secure discounts in advance. Demand surged, vouchers were quickly claimed, and a website managing applications crashed under heavy traffic. The program quietly ended last year after exhausting capacity and funding, prompting a state pivot. About 2,300 recipients received vouchers; beneficiaries like Briana Villaverde paid minimal out-of-pocket costs and use e-bikes for commuting, while cycling advocates expressed disappointment.

Read at Los Angeles Times