Last-mile mobile medical care provider DocGo has partnered with Lightning eMotors and Leader Emergency Vehicles to add an all-electric ambulance to its fleet in New York, kickstarting a green initiative that will see all of its vehicles go electric.
DocGo is a mobile healthcare and medical transportation provider that employs a team of more than 3,500 certified health professionals across 28 US states to deliver assistance wherever the need arises. The company already has several hybrid vehicles in its fleet, but has now officially kicked off its Zero Emission Initiative with the acquisition of a custom battery-electric ambulance.
The build began with a Ford Transit T350 Type II ambulance chassis that was converted to a battery-electric platform by Colorado's Lightning eMotors. The vehicle was reportedly treated to a 120-kWh battery pack for up to 170 miles of per-charge driving, with the setup supporting DC fast charging for a full charge in 2 hours, or 8.5 hours via a Level 2 AC charger. A 215-hp (160-kW) motor offers an electronically-limited top speed of 65 mph (105 km/h).
Meanwhile California's Leader took care of kitting the van out for patient transportation, adding things like overhead cab, side and back lighting, the siren, storage cabinets inside for medical supplies, crew seating and patient care equipment such as a stretcher, a wall-mounted aspirator and oxygen system. The REV Group company notes that the vehicle is "equipped with dual rear wheels, increased interior headroom to aid crews in loading and unloading their patient, as well as an extended body length to provide more workspace for patient care."
DocGo says that as well as not generating any tailpipe emissions, patient transportation costs could potentially go down thanks to the electric vehicle having lower maintenance needs and costing less to "fuel" than a standard gasoline ambulance.
The electric ambulance is reckoned to be the first of its kind to be registered in the US and signals the start of DocGo's mission to have an all-electric fleet by 2032.
Source: DocGo
