Logos courtesy of the Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District and Yolo County

“We're excited to partner with Yolo County to make e-bikes more accessible to local residents,” said Air District Board Chair Jim Ernest. “When used safely, e-bikes can help people replace everyday car trips with a cleaner, more affordable way to travel.”

Pedal Forward is designed to give residents, especially those who qualify as low-income, access to zero-emission transportation options and reduce vehicle-related air pollution. The program provides monetary vouchers to residents to cover up to 100 percent of the cost of a new, eligible e-bike and safety equipment. The standard voucher amount is $750, and an enhanced voucher of $1,500 is available to eligible low-income applicants. Yolo County Health and Human Services will also offer free helmets to low-income voucher recipients.

To ensure accessibility, vouchers will be awarded through a random drawing. Only one voucher will be awarded per household. Approximately 80 to 120 vouchers will be available this year, depending on the number of standard and enhanced vouchers awarded. All voucher recipients will be required to take an online safety training course. Vouchers may only be redeemed with local participating bike shops that will also reinforce safety training and verify e-bike eligibility.

“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector is critical to achieving the County’s climate goals,” said Yolo County Board of Supervisors Chair Sheila Allen, who also sits on the Air District Board. “We want to encourage people to use e-bikes as an alternative to driving, which will help reduce emissions while supporting healthier, more active lifestyles. We are also glad to offer enhanced vouchers to lower-income community members to make emission-free transportation accessible for all.”

E-bikes have a battery and electric motor that can be activated to help with pedaling, making the bikes go faster and making it easier to travel longer distances. All e-bikes purchased through the Pedal Forward program must be Class 1 or Class 2 models and must be certified to Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 2271, UL 2849, or European Standard EN 15194 for fire safety while charging. Class 1 e-bikes only use pedal-assist to go up to 20 miles per hour. Class 2 e-bikes have both pedal assist and a throttle, with a maximum speed of 20 miles per hour.

Funding for the Pedal Forward: E-bike Incentive Program is provided by the Yolo County Landfill Out-of-County Tip Fee Surcharge, the California Air Resources Board’s Community Air Protection Incentives Program and the California Office of Transportation Safety.

The Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District’s mission is to protect human health and property from the harmful effects of air pollution. As a public health agency, the district is responsible for safeguarding air quality and overseeing air pollution control in Yolo and northeastern Solano counties, including the cities of Dixon, Rio Vista and Vacaville. For more information, visit ysaqmd.org. Connect with the Air District via Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Nextdoor.