Ambulances are essential for critical patients as they provide life-saving pre-hospital medical services. But the growing need for ambulance services has led to an increased demand for their digitization, efficiency, and sustainability.
Electric ambulance fleets are an emerging medical transportation solution that can help ambulance companies meet these diverse needs and goals. As a result, governments around the world are taking steps to transition to more environmentally friendly and cost-effective emergency vehicles. Here, we cover how electric ambulances work, their benefits, and how they can change the future of healthcare.
How Do Electric Ambulances Work?
An electric ambulance works like any other electric vehicle (EV) in the sense that it runs on electricity. Most electric ambulances are van-style EVs that are adapted for healthcare systems. They are equipped with various medical features and services that regular fuel-powered ambulances have. Because of their unique benefits, they are increasingly being used by innovative and forward-thinking nations.
6 Benefits of Adopting Electric Ambulance Services
Here are the six key benefits of adopting electric ambulance services:
1. Enhanced Patient Experience
Electric ambulances are faster and create less noise and vibrations than fuel-powered ambulances. Their quiet operation provides patients with a comfortable transportation experience. This is especially important for elderly and critical patients and those with disorders who may feel disturbed by sudden or unfamiliar noises.
The silent operation of electric ambulances also helps paramedics monitor and care for patients better.
Moreover, paramedics sometimes have to work with sensitive equipment inside a moving ambulance. The lack of noise and vibrations in electric ambulances allows them to provide patients with first aid treatment even when the vehicle is on the move. This improves the pre-hospital medical care that patients can get during transport.
Also, people who live on ambulance routes do not have to deal with noise disturbances.
2. More Affordable
The price hikes of petrol, diesel, and compressed natural gas (CNG) has made fuel-operated ambulances more expensive to operate. In the United States, the average cost for an ambulance service is $450 while 71% of ambulance services don’t accept insurance. This makes emergency medical transport (EMT) a necessity that requires significant out-of-pocket expenses.
Electric ambulances have the potential to make these services more accessible and affordable. Despite their high initial investment, their lifetime operational costs are lower as they run on electricity and not on fuel. This results in significant savings for healthcare providers who can divert their resources into medical equipment, staff training, and expansion of emergency response services.
And, if operational costs can be lowered, so can the fees that these services charge their clients. This may allow people of diverse economic backgrounds to get more timely and affordable emergency response services.
3. Faster Acceleration and Better Vehicle Control
After the engine is turned on, electric ambulances accelerate faster (from 0 to 30 miles per hour) than traditional ambulances. This is an advantage in situations that require emergency teams to arrive on-site as soon as possible before speedily transporting patients to the nearest suitable healthcare facility.
In terms of construction, electric emergency medical transportation (EMT) can be built in such a way that they are closer to the ground. If the center of gravity is lower and the driver has more control over the vehicle, electric ambulances can be more easily maneuvered through wet weather environments like snow and rain when roads are slippery.
4. Improved Real-Time Tracking
In densely populated areas, it can be difficult for ambulances to reach the pickup point on time. Electric ambulances have GPS that allows real-time tracking which helps emergency responders reach the patient quickly.
It also enables rapid and smooth communication between hospitals and responders. This allows hospital staff to prepare for the patient’s arrival and provide the necessary medical services on time, especially in emergency cases. Medical care is thus enhanced, allowing patients to recover faster.
5. Less Pollution
Electric ambulances are not only great for patients and healthcare providers but also the environment. They have zero tailpipe emissions and are thus less polluting than fuel-operated ambulances. So, ambulance companies can switch to them to reduce their carbon footprint and become more sustainable.
Electric ambulances help combat air pollution and climate change. They also contribute to healthy air, public health, and a cleaner, greener planet.
6. Easy Charging
Ambulances spend a lot of time in the parking area of hospitals and usually run on optimal predetermined routes. So, electric ambulances can be easily charged when they are not in use, preparing them for the next emergency call.
Places Where Electric Ambulances Are Starting To Be Used
The widespread benefits of electric ambulances have led to their increased adoption in many countries around the world.
The United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, and Japan are at the forefront of electric ambulance adoption. In the United States, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Nashville have already taken steps to switch to them.
How Can Electric Ambulances Change the Future?
According to the National Library of Medicine, emergency medical services (EMS) respond to around 37 million requests that are received through 911 calls each year. If we were to take the average figure of 31.3 kilograms of carbon dioxide for each ambulance response, that adds up to 1.16 billion kilograms of carbon dioxide annually.
Consider that this doesn’t yet include other emergency medical requests that were made through other means.
By taking these simple calculations into account, one can have an idea of what a huge impact electric ambulances can have on the environment. Even if only a significant percentage of these vehicles were replaced with electric EMTs, it would still be a major win.
Combined with other advantages like faster response times, lower operational costs, more affordable and accessible services, easy charging, real-time tracking, and greater vehicle control, it’s easy to see why electric ambulances not only can but should change the future.
What About EV Batteries Going to Landfills?
Contrary to what many people think, not all EV batteries go to landfills. Many lithium-ion recycling companies in the United States report a high rate of material recovery, pegging it at 95% to 98%.
These reconditioned batteries get repurposed and reused in in-home storage and old cars, allowing EV batteries to maximize their potential.
In the future, we can expect EV batteries to undergo better and more efficient recycling methods than today’s batteries. This will further reduce the materials that end up in landfills, making EVs truly sustainable transportation solutions.
Charging Management System for Fleets of Electric Ambulances
To ensure effective and quick charging of electric ambulance fleets, healthcare providers need an efficient charging management system.
Ampcontrol’s charging management system for EV fleet vehicles is a powerful cloud-based EV charging and energy management software for fleets. It ensures efficient, reliable, and scalable charging operations and reduced charging costs. It also offers smart API, real-time monitoring, and reliable on-time departures.
Moreover, Ampcontrol is a leading provider of EV fleet charging management software. So, you can be sure that you’re fleet is being handled by a safe, reliable, and innovative system.
Conclusion
The last few years have seen electric ambulances increasing and becoming more mainstream.
While they have a range of powerful and impressive benefits, there is a need for greater awareness about them. Many governments across the world are currently taking steps to increase the production and adoption of EVs which include electric ambulances.
The need for technological advancements in the healthcare industry also makes switching to electric ambulances a step in the right direction. At the same time, this much-needed game-changing solution also helps us move toward a healthier planet.
