MEDFORD, Ore. — The Medford School District will be able to purchase three electric vehicle kits for students to build and operate due to a $50,000 donation from Rogue Valley Clean Cities Coalition, the District announced Tuesday.
MSD said it plans to get two GreenPower USA EV kits and one Switch Lab EV kit — the former essentially a battery-powered downhill derby car kit, and the latter like a small electric dune buggy. They’ll be part of a new program for elementary, middle, and high school students shared across the district.
“By 2035, all new vehicles produced by the world’s leading auto manufacturers will be electric,” said Hal Jones, Medford School District’s Career and College Readiness Coordinator. “RVCCC’s visionary partnership with the Medford School District will help prepare the Rogue Valley’s future engineers and transportation workforce for this fast approaching transition.”
The Switch Lab EV kit will be shared by North Medford High School, South Medford High School, Central Medford High School, and Medford Online Academy. The two GreenPower kits will be built and used together by the Ruch Outdoor Community School, Hedrick Middle School, McLoughlin Middle School and Jackson Elementary School.
MSD said that three teachers who will be in charge of the kits just finished up their training at Switch Labs Center in Sebastopol, California. The kits themselves will be unveiled Wednesday at North Medford High.