An previous area of interest revisited for Ford within the UK. Based mostly on the Ford Transit chassis cab, the brand new ambulance physique and conversion will probably be constructed wholly within the UK by Venari Group |
Ford has introduced plans to re-establish its presence within the UK ambulance market, with a brand new Transit ambulance developed along side business consultants and front-line medical groups underneath the code identify Undertaking Siren.
Scheduled to enter manufacturing in mid-2021, Ford says the brand new automobile’s light-weight design is totally compliant with the nationwide specification advocated by the Lord Carter Report, providing all of the gear and functionality of a front-line ambulance inside a 3.5-tonne gross automobile weight. Based mostly on the Ford Transit chassis cab, the physique and conversion will probably be constructed wholly within the UK by Venari Group – guardian firm of the UK’s main ambulance producer, O&H Automobile Know-how.
“Our thrilling new light-weight ambulance is the results of listening to our clients, understanding their wants and discovering modern options to fulfill them,” mentioned Dr Graham Hoare OBE, govt director, Enterprise Transformation, and chairman, Ford of Britain. “By collaborating with blue-light consultants Venari Group for Undertaking Siren, I am assured that this new automobile will redefine the blueprint for ambulances and assist to rework the productiveness of entrance line ambulance providers within the UK.”
Undertaking Siren used what’s described as an agile, collaborative course of and direct buyer enter from NHS Ambulance Trusts to create the brand new automobile, which is designed to enhance affected person therapy in addition to security and ease of use for paramedics. Superior digital connectivity helps environment friendly restocking and automobile upkeep, whereas the light-weight design helps cut back emissions and working prices related to utilizing heavier automobiles.
“We’re delighted to have teamed up with Ford within the improvement of our 3.5-tonne ambulance, which can present a step change in design for our unimaginable emergency providers,” mentioned Oliver North, CEO, Venari Group. “Harnessing the capabilities of Venari and Ford has created an engineering crew that’s – in my 15-year expertise in emergency service automobile manufacturing – essentially the most formidable of its kind, assembly the complicated necessities of the Carter Report with zero compromise on high quality.”
The automobile’s launch will observe detailed testing and validation at Ford’s superior proving amenities. The brand new light-weight design has been developed to be totally suitable with all-electric powertrains, offering a future-proof resolution for ambulance operators seeking to transition to zero-emission fleets.