Home » City Guide » , ,

Berkeley is Giving Away 50 Free E-Bikes via a Lottery

Apply by March 8 for your chance to get a free e-bike
By - posted 2/20/2023 No Comment

Low-income Berkeley residents – such as a family of four making less than $106,000 annually or an individual making less than $74,200 – can apply for a lottery to get an electric bike for long-term use as part of a City-funded program.

The 50 selected households – who can also qualify if they participate in SNAP, PG&E CARE, or Medicaid – would pay a $100 refundable deposit and get an electric bike, helmet, bicycle locks, lights, and training on safe riding.

Those households will also receive free check-ups and maintenance for at least a year from Waterside Workshops, a nonprofit partner with GRID Alternatives and the City of Berkeley as part of the Berkeley E-Bike Equity Project.

Eligible residents can apply online by March 8 to enter the e-bike lottery.

Resident eligibility requirements for the program

Residents 18 years or older can apply and be entered into a lottery for the e-bikes, which will be delivered from April through June.

The program prioritizes applicants who earn less than 80% of the Area Median Income, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The size of the household affects the income limit.

Households can also qualify by participating in a range of public programs such as:

  • PG&E California Alternate Rates for Energy Program (CARE)
  • CalFresh Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
  • Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP)
  • Find more income eligibility information on the Berkeley E-Bike Equity Project application.

Interested applicants can access computers at any of Berkeley’s public library branches. For application assistance, contact Waterside Workshops at (510) 644-2577, or visit in person at 84 Bolivar Drive Tuesday – Sunday, noon – 6:00 pm.

The Berkeley E-Bike Equity Project is funded by the City of Berkeley’s Climate Equity Pilot Fund, a pool of money authorized by the City Council to provide benefits to – and elevate the voices of – low-income and historically marginalized communities, the people most impacted by climate change.

As part of the E-Bike Equity Project funding, Waterside Workshops is also developing a new e-bike curriculum for its youth bicycle mechanics education program. The City’s Climate Equity Pilot also funds electrification upgrades in buildings and access to resilience measures for income-qualified residents.

Read more from the City of Berkeley. Find more income eligibility information on the Berkeley E-Bike Equity Project application.