New All-Electric Ambulance for DocGo Indicates Growing Trend

As government leaders seek strategies for reducing carbon emissions and mitigating the effects of climate change, the availability of electric vehicles may play a role. Particularly, various local and state organizations are exploring the addition of electric vehicles to public safety fleets to reduce the use of fossil fuels.

Ambulances are subject to strict regulations. They must be equipped to carry two emergency workers and a substantial amount of medical equipment. Because ambulances must be able to transport one patient secured to a cot, converting existing electric passenger vehicles to ambulances is not practical.

Manufacturers must develop and build electric vehicles to the precise specifications and requirements of emergency vehicles. In March 2022, the REV Group, which manufactures ambulance brands such as Wheeled Coach® and Road Rescue®, announced the delivery of the first all-electric ambulance.

The zero-emissions ambulance was for DocGo, a mobile medical service that provides “last mile” health care for patients in their homes or places of work. DocGo, established in 2015, offers services including wound care, IV hydration, mobile imaging, EKGs, and diagnostic testing, and preventive care such as vaccinations.

Committed to reducing its carbon emissions to zero, DocGo upholds a sustainability mission that includes converting to a fully electric fleet of emergency vehicles by 2032. The company already has several hybrid vehicles in its fleet.

Fully electric ambulances reduce emissions and pollution by 90 percent and may significantly reduce fuel costs, lowering the price of patient care. Electric ambulances also require less maintenance.

The REV Group worked with Lightning eMotors to create the all-electric vehicle. Lightning eMotors, a leading provider of electric vehicle technology and zero-emissions commercial vehicles, has helped numerous cities implement transportation and charging solutions to reduce pollution and reach sustainability goals.

The new ambulance, manufactured at Leader Emergency Vehicles in South El Monte, California, combines a Ford Transit T350 Type II ambulance chassis with a High Roof Transit van body. Lightning eMotors electrified the vehicle, equipping it with as much as 86 kWh of battery capacity, which can use Level 2 AC charging or DC fast charging.

To accommodate ambulance crews loading and unloading patients, ambulance manufacturers increased the headroom inside the vehicle. They also extended the length of the body to offer more interior space for EMTs to work on patients.

While the new DocGo ambulance is the first all-electric patient transport vehicle in the United States, other emergency departments have used electric vehicles for other purposes. In 2020, Oregon’s Eugene Springfield Fire Department began testing a three-wheeled Rapid Responder that could reach up to 75 miles per hour. The electric vehicle can carry two crew members and features a cargo compartment and an equipment rack. While not able to carry patients, the vehicle could prove useful in small areas or as standby support for special events.

As technology continues to accelerate and prices come down for electric vehicles, fire departments, EMS organizations, and law enforcement agencies are likely to add more electric vehicles to their fleets. Electric vehicles are better for the environment and better for the general health of the patients they transport.