Early Learnings from Ava’s E-Bike Rebate Program

Four months into Ava Bike Electric, the results confirm what we already suspected: our communities are ready to embrace electric bicycles as practical, affordable, fun, and climate-friendly transportation.

Launched on July 8, 2025, Ava Bike Electric is an incentive program that provides instant rebates of $400 to $1,500 to help Ava customers and Alameda County residents purchase new e-bikes from local bike shops. Through combined funding of $10 million from Ava Community Energy ($6 million) and the Alameda County Transportation Commission ($4 million), this initiative aims to make clean transportation more accessible to our communities, reduce carbon emissions, and support local businesses. Rebates are distributed monthly through random drawings, and income-qualified customers are eligible for higher rebate amounts.

In its first four months, the program received over 12,000 applications from residents across our service area. We have distributed 6,700 rebates, and so far, 1,440 residents have brought home new commuter e-bikes, heavy-duty cargo e-bikes, adaptive e-trikes, and other models. 

The program is more than just a way to help people afford a new, more convenient mode of transportation. Ava Bike Electric is increasing equity in our communities, supporting local climate and mobility action plans, and collecting valuable feedback from participants to help inform future programs and investments. It’s also filling a much-needed gap as other e-bike programs face an uncertain future.

E-bikes aren’t just the latest recreational trend. They can reshape how people move through their communities, particularly for trips under a few miles, where e-bikes often beat cars on convenience, cost, and enjoyment.

The pedal-assist motor makes cycling accessible to more people. “As a physically disabled person, I didn’t even know that cycling was an option for me,” said Sonya Rio-Glick, a local disability rights advocate who rides an e-trike. “This is the most accessible form of locomotion that I’ve ever experienced.”

These practical advantages explain why e-bike sales in North America doubled between 2018 and 2021, and why the U.S. market is projected to grow 15.6% annually through 2030.

The broader East Bay and Central Valley, with our temperate climate and extensive bike infrastructure, offer ideal conditions for e-bike ridership to grow. Studies estimate that if 15% of person miles traveled shifted to e-bikes, transportation carbon emissions could drop by 12%. When people make that switch, the climate benefits add up quickly.

Ava Bike Electric deliberately breaks from the first-come, first-served model used by many rebate programs. Monthly random drawings give everyone an equal shot, regardless of when they can be online to apply. Rebate recipients have 60 days to redeem, ensuring ample time for new e-bike shoppers to evaluate the investment and make a well-informed purchase.

The program reserves a minimum of 40% of funding for income-qualified participants enrolled in California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE), Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA), or Alameda Municipal Power’s Energy Assistance Program (EAP). Early data confirms this approach is working: while income-qualified applicants represent 20% of total applications, they account for about 50% of all e-bike purchases through the program.

The tiered rebate structure recognizes different needs and price points. Standard e-bikes receive $400 base rebates ($1,000 for income-qualified households). Cargo and adaptive models—which cost more but serve families, workers, and people with disabilities—receive $900 base rebates ($1,500 for income-qualified households). Income-qualified participants also receive $250 toward safety equipment like helmets, locks, and lights.

While it’s still early on, some clear trends are emerging about what drives e-bike adoption and what barriers still stand in the way. 

Survey responses reveal that for most participants who redeemed their rebates, the financial incentive was crucial. The majority say they would not have purchased a new e-bike without the rebate, confirming that upfront cost remains a significant barrier to e-bike adoption. 

Even with a rebate, e-bikes can still be expensive. For recipients who never redeemed their rebate, affordability was the primary obstacle. “I couldn’t afford the out-of-pocket costs for an e-bike even with an instant rebate,” one survey respondent shared. 

Roughly 40% of July 2025 rebate recipients redeemed their incentive. The program team is monitoring the redemption rate closely to identify all the barriers winners face in completing their purchases, whether related to cost, bike availability, shop accessibility, or other factors. The goal is to increase that rate as much as possible.

Ava’s implementation partner, APTIM, has managed e-bike rebate programs in nine cities and states over the last three years, and possesses a deep well of experience in carrying out effective programs. 

“We have learned from each program and bring those findings to all of our other programs to ensure they are constantly improving and serving the applicants in the smoothest way possible,” said Mason James, Program Manager at APTIM. 

Now in its third year, Denver’s pioneering e-bike rebate program—also administered by APTIM—offers useful comparison points. Denver estimates its vouchers eliminate 170,000 vehicle miles traveled per week and 3,300 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually. The city called it “one of the most effective climate strategies” it has deployed. 43% of recipients cited commuting as their primary reason for getting an e-bike, and 84% replaced at least one vehicle trip per week. 

Ava Bike Electric also advances transportation and climate objectives that extend beyond any single city. The Alameda County Transportation Commission contributed $4 million to the program precisely because expanding affordable access to e-bikes aligns with the county’s commitment to sustainable, equitable transportation systems, reducing road congestion, and investments in active transportation funded through Measure BB.

Many communities in Ava’s service area are simultaneously investing in complementary infrastructure and programs. Fremont’s Active Transportation Plan outlines a comprehensive five-year strategy around an integrated bicycle and pedestrian network; the City of Tracy has over 44 miles of bike routes and is working on increasing the amount of Class I and Class II bike paths; and Stockton is currently undertaking a comprehensive update to its Climate Action Plan. This is just a small sample of the regional actions our member jurisdictions are taking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector.

The emissions reduction potential is substantial with transportation being the largest contributor (39%) to California’s emissions. While we can’t yet attribute specific reductions to our program alone, the broader research is compelling. E-bikes produce zero tailpipe emissions. Studies consistently show that people who acquire e-bikes use them frequently, often for trips they previously made by car. One analysis found that shifting a quarter of short vehicle trips to e-bikes in the country’s ten most populous cities could save 4.2 million barrels of oil and 1.8 million metric tons of CO2 annually—equivalent to removing over 388,000 vehicles from the road.

Infrastructure matters tremendously for realizing this potential. Protected bike lanes, safe intersections, and secure bike parking all influence whether people feel comfortable making the switch. While it might be difficult in some instances to commit limited public dollars toward these kinds of improvements, we believe that as e-bike adoption grows in our service area, so, too, will local investments in bike-friendly infrastructure.

With Ava Bike Electric, we’re building a dataset that will inform transportation electrification efforts for years to come. The program will continue accepting applications for monthly drawings through September 2026, with selections happening on the fourth Tuesday of every month.

This work connects directly to Ava’s mission: increasing access to affordable clean energy for everyone. By helping people adopt electric transportation now—starting with one of the most affordable and accessible options—we’re building momentum for the carbon-free future our region needs.

But the testimonials tell the story better than statistics can. As one recipient wrote: “[Ava Bike Electric] changed my life for the better and I am so grateful for this program. I feel more active, I have more energy, and I’m having more fun!”