Request for Info on Green/Eco Friendly Ambulance

akflightmedic

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I have been googling and falling into rabbit hole after rabbit hole, yet still have not found exactly what I am looking for. With our diverse membership here, I was hoping some of ya'll may have some input to offer. I am thinking more of what I am looking for may come from the West Coast as well.

I am applying for a grant, however I need to adhere to it's stipulations which are environmentally friendly and community well being. I am trying to spec out an ambulance that meets this requirement. I have found elements of what I need on different models, but not the "Eureka!" one.

Looking for a Ford Transit style ambulance. Electric? Hybrid? Or are they just "eco friendly"? No bio-diesel due to lack of availability in this area. Solar panels on top like some of Austin's trucks? Any other green features you can think of or find?

Who wants to play? LOL What ya got?
 
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akflightmedic

akflightmedic

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Yes I saw those...looking for vendor of that specific platform with one or many green options. Just do not know what is out there...
 

DesertMedic66

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We have some hybrid Ford F-350 type 3s that we have been using for ~6 months now. I believe they are manufactured by Leader. I’ve only been in them one time and the only thing I noticed was the turning radius was absolute garbage.
 

MMiz

I put the M in EMTLife
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I know this doesn't help, but I was thinking about this exact topic about a week ago when walking by an ambulance with the distinct diesel smell.

After far too much Googling I noticed a few places had hybrid ambulances, ZeroRPM was a thing, but not much more.

Lots of press releases, little actual information or documentation.

Good luck!
 

Tigger

Dodges Pucks
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Yes I saw those...looking for vendor of that specific platform with one or many green options. Just do not know what is out there...
StealthPower is who most ambulance manufacturers use for idle reduction things. I think they'll work with about anyone.
 

Fezman92

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How long until Tesla comes out with an all electric ambulance that costs $150,000?
 

Jim37F

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Wouldn't that be cheaper than a regular ambulance?

There's already electric fire engine on the market, and LAFD bought one as a test vehicle to determine suitability (though I think it's ugly as all heck, but that's besides the point lol) (IMO a better start would be instead of tieing the fire pump to the drive train (you have to actually change to a specific gear to start pumping), put an electric motor for the fire pump first, leave the rest of the drive train alone. That would enable pump and roll, cut down on fuel costs, and noise at the pump panel making things easier for the Engineer... still have a physical PTO link to the drive train as a backup if the electric motor fails. That's a better idea IMO than all electric right out of the gate, but I'm not exactly the guy making purchasing decisions heh)


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Anyways, if they're doing it for a fire engine, I imagine someone, somewhere is building an electric Ambulance. Heck even Ford is looking at an electric F-150 model, I heard something about a hybrid version even sooner... get one of those and have a regular box put on that?
 

Fezman92

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dutemplar

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I've mostly heard of Sprinters with the Euro 6 engine. Solar panels to lighten the load and help.

Or...

Or
Possibly with a complimentary tanto for medics who blow too many IVs, or miss the tube... #MakeSeppukuGreatAgain!

Wait... perfect! For all the short-bus personnel...

Lord have mercy, 25 years ago we were pricing $200,000 Hortons...
 
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akflightmedic

akflightmedic

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Thanks for all the input everyone, I have multiple ongoing conversations to find what I need.
 

Fastfrankie19151

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Not sure if this is exactly what your looking for but a agency near me has a solar powered Transit connect here is a link to a YouTube video of it.

 

johnrsemt

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Tesla $150,000 ambulance? that would mean a $20,000 electric car, More like $500,000 Tesla ambulance.

I about choked when President Biden said all Government Vehicles would be electric in 10 years (I think it was 10 years). They don't have an electric fire truck that has been on the road for longer than a couple of months, it will be interesting to see how long one can pump at a major fire or a wildland fire; no electric ambulances, no electric police cars that have proven reliable.

The military base I work at the security trucks run about 250-300 miles per shift (2 per shift do) and about 1/4 of that is in 4WD. It is 42 miles from the main gate to the level III hospital-85-90 miles to Level I or II hospitals, 1 way, then back; and I have driven almost 60 miles to get to the gate from the patient and some of that in 4WD. So maybe 280-300 miles for an ambulance transport? or 90 miles for shorter ones. One the other night was sitting, running with AC on at an all night test in 90 deg. heat, then transporting a heat stroke patient. I wonder how long it will be before there are electric ambulances to handle that?
Although the center of gravity should be lower on them, because the batteries will weigh a ton to power them.

And all the companies that buy used ambulances will be buying ambulances just before the batteries need replacing.
 

Tigger

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Tesla $150,000 ambulance? that would mean a $20,000 electric car, More like $500,000 Tesla ambulance.

I about choked when President Biden said all Government Vehicles would be electric in 10 years (I think it was 10 years). They don't have an electric fire truck that has been on the road for longer than a couple of months, it will be interesting to see how long one can pump at a major fire or a wildland fire; no electric ambulances, no electric police cars that have proven reliable.

The military base I work at the security trucks run about 250-300 miles per shift (2 per shift do) and about 1/4 of that is in 4WD. It is 42 miles from the main gate to the level III hospital-85-90 miles to Level I or II hospitals, 1 way, then back; and I have driven almost 60 miles to get to the gate from the patient and some of that in 4WD. So maybe 280-300 miles for an ambulance transport? or 90 miles for shorter ones. One the other night was sitting, running with AC on at an all night test in 90 deg. heat, then transporting a heat stroke patient. I wonder how long it will be before there are electric ambulances to handle that?
Although the center of gravity should be lower on them, because the batteries will weigh a ton to power them.

And all the companies that buy used ambulances will be buying ambulances just before the batteries need replacing.
Your situation makes up an extremely small percentage of total EMS runs. There is probably not a one size fits all solution, and that is ok.
 

Fastfrankie19151

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Your situation makes up an extremely small percentage of total EMS runs. There is probably not a one size fits all solution, and that is ok.
Yeah I can only imagine the wear and tear on their units and I thought city medic units were beat to death use wise.
 

Tigger

Dodges Pucks
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Yeah I can only imagine the wear and tear on their units and I thought city medic units were beat to death use wise.
I did fleet management for a but working in a rural (not frontier, but frequent hour plus transports) and I think I can say now the only happy ambulance is one that works in the suburbs. Urban and rural trucks get beat hard, just in different ways.
 

johnrsemt

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There isn't a 1 size fits all, but President Biden is trying to force one, and sounds like CA is too; although no one can still answer the wildland fire question.
It would be great if they could figure it out, but inexpensively: I know my wife and I can't afford to pay more for a car than we paid for our house (or sold it for)
 
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