California has spent years positioning itself as a climate leader, investing billions in clean transportation. But for all the headlines and progress, a simple truth remains: Our current strategy is leaving out the people who need us to rethink clean mobility most.

Take the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project. Designed to help Californians shift to zero-emission vehicles, it offered up to $7,500 — but a new EV typically costs over $50,000, out of reach for many even with the rebate. Too often, people who rely on aging cars, or have no cars, are still stuck with inefficient, unaffordable or unsafe options.

It’s time to rethink clean mobility to include equitable access. A zero-emission car might qualify on paper, but it won’t help a shift worker in Stockton without a dollar to spare or a teenager in San Bernardino commuting to school. Public buses and trains don’t reach everyone, and when they do, they often don’t run frequently or reliably enough to replace a private vehicle. But a light electric vehicle, paired with safe, connected infrastructure, can.

LEVs — including e-bikes, e-scooters and other compact rides — are cheaper to own and operate than motor vehicles, require less space and fewer resources, and work well in urban areas. For low-income workers, students and families without reliable transit, they can be a lifeline. But so far, LEVs have been left to the private market — if you can afford one, great; If not, too bad.

The Driving Clean Assistance Program, which helps low-income residents purchase zero-emission vehicles with grants and loans and includes LEVs, is a meaningful start. So is California’s E-Bike Incentive Project, which offers up to $2,000 towards e-bike purchases for income-qualified Californians, prioritizing those in low-income and disadvantaged communities. Residents apply through a statewide lottery and, if selected, receive a voucher they can use at participating bike shops.

We need such programs, and there’s clear demand for rethinking clean mobility for equitable access, evidenced by the first e-bike vouchers being claimed within minutes. But we need to massively increase available funding, use that funding efficiently and ensure incentives reach the people who need them most.

Read the full article about rethinking clean mobility by Marta Anadón Rosinach at Smart Cities Dive.