News & Updates
A New Electric Vehicle Hits the Road, Thanks to Pacific Power
June 10, 2026
Our new EV is on the road!
Reliable, electric transportation now supports the people we serve across Southern Oregon
Reliable transportation is a bridge to employment, health care, and community life. Living Opportunities operates one of the larger transportation programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Jackson County, and our fleet does real work every day. Staff drive to sites across the region, support people in reaching jobs and appointments, and step up in emergencies. During the Almeda Fire, for example, our staff and vehicles helped move people out of harm's way. Our vehicles must be dependable and ready to go.
With that responsibility in mind, we are excited to share some big news. Living Opportunities was awarded an E-Mobility Grant from Pacific Power to bring electric transportation to our Medford headquarters.
The grant funded the purchase of a new all-electric Kia EV9, along with a Level 2 ChargePoint charging station and the network software that keeps it running. The charger is now in service at our location on North Riverside Avenue and the EV9 is already out doing the work, carrying staff and the people we serve where they need to go.
Why this Matters for the people we serve
The Kia EV9 was chosen with the people we support in mind. Its all-wheel drive handles the varied terrain of Southern Oregon. It sits at a height that makes getting in and out easier for people with limited mobility, it seats more than one person and a support staff member comfortably, and the cargo space holds a wheelchair plus emergency supplies.
This new vehicle replaces aging gas vans that had become unreliable and expensive to keep on the road. One of our site vans had nearly 200,000 miles on it and required constant maintenance, which created risks for the people relying on us for transportation.
The dedicated charger for our new EV at headquarters.
A cleaner way forward
Moving to an electric vehicle lowers our fuel and maintenance costs, which means more of our resources can go directly to the people we support. It also cuts greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to cleaner air across Medford, in line with the goals of Oregon's Clean Fuels Program. We hope our experience helps other disability service and transportation providers in the region see electric options as a practical, reliable choice for their own fleets.
Thank you
This project was made possible with support from the Oregon Clean Fuels Program and Pacific Power. We are grateful for the partnership and for the chance to make our transportation services more reliable, more accessible, and better for the environment all at once.
To learn more about Pacific Power’s electric vehicle programs and incentives, visit their website.
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