DocGo Unveils America’s First All-Electric Ambulance
DocGo has partnered with manufacturer Leader Emergency Vehicles and Colorado’s Lightning eMotors to add an all-electric ambulance to its fleet in New York. The move kickstarts a green transition to see all of its vehicles go electric.
DocGo, a leading provider of last-mile mobile healthcare and medical services, employs a team of over 3,500 certified health professionals across twenty-eight U.S. states to offer assistance wherever it is needed. While the company already has multiple hybrid vehicles in its fleet, it has now officially rolled out its “Zero Emission Initiative” with the acquisition of a custom-made battery-electric ambulance.
The electric ambulance comprises a Ford Transit T350 Type II ambulance chassis transformed into a battery-electric platform by Lightning eMotors. The vehicle features a 120-kWh battery pack that offers up to 170 miles per charge. The battery can be fully charged in 2 hours using D.C. fast charging or 8.5 hours via a Level 2 A.C. charger. In addition, a 160-kW (215-hp) motor brings the vehicle to an electronically-limited maximum speed of 105 km/h (65 mph).
California’s Leader outfitted the van for patient transportation, adding several essential features such as:
The ambulance is also “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.”
The President of DocGo, Anthony Capone, hopes to quickly make the transition given the present economic environment. “It’s quite apropos to the current condition, with what is going on in Europe—gas prices are skyrocketing, and they’re only going to increase. We’re already spending about half a million dollars a month on gasoline for our vehicles,” he said.
According to DocGo, the all-electric ambulance is about one-tenth polluting compared to a standard gasoline ambulance. So, aside from being a more sustainable option, the ambulance could potentially lower the cost of patient transportation as maintenance needs and fuel costs drop.
The electric ambulance is the first of its kind to be registered in the U.S. It marks the first step toward DocGo’s sustainability mission for having an all-electric zero Emission fleet by 2032.