Today, Ford announced its plans to re-establish its presence in the UK ambulance market with an innovative new Transit ambulance developed in conjunction with industry experts and front-line medical teams under the code name Project Siren.
Scheduled to enter production in mid-2021, the new vehicle’s lightweight design is fully compliant with the national specification advocated by the Lord Carter Report, offering all the equipment and capability of a front-line ambulance within a 3.5-ton gross vehicle weight. Based on the Ford Transit chassis cab, the body and conversion will be built wholly in the UK by Venari Group – the parent company of the UK’s leading ambulance manufacturer, O&H Vehicle Technology.
Project Siren used an agile, collaborative process and direct customer input from NHS Ambulance Trusts to create the new Transit ambulance, which is designed to improve patient treatment as well as safety and ease of use for paramedics. Advanced digital connectivity supports efficient restocking and vehicle maintenance, while the lightweight design helps reduce emissions and operating costs associated with using heavier vehicles.
The vehicle’s launch will follow detailed testing and validation at Ford’s advanced proving facilities. The new lightweight design has been developed to be fully compatible with all-electric powertrains, providing a future-proof solution for ambulance operators looking to transition to zero-emission fleets.
“Our exciting new lightweight ambulance is the result of listening to our customers, understanding their needs, and finding innovative solutions to meet them,” said Dr. Graham Hoare OBE, executive director, Business Transformation, and chairman, Ford of Britain. “By collaborating with blue-light experts Venari Group for Project Siren, I’m confident that this new vehicle will redefine the blueprint for ambulances and help to transform the productivity of front line ambulance services in the UK.”
“We’re delighted to have teamed up with Ford in the development of our 3.5-ton ambulance, which will provide a step-change in design for our incredible emergency services,” said Oliver North, CEO, Venari Group. “Harnessing the capabilities of Venari and Ford has created an engineering team that is – in my 15-year experience in emergency service vehicle production – the most formidable of its type, meeting the complex requirements of the Carter Report with zero compromises on quality.”
We’ll have more on the new UK Transit ambulance soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford Transit news and ongoing Ford news coverage.
Comments
I am very glad for FoMoCo, not before time.
Really well done ford
Can’t be any worse than the noisy, slow, uncomfortable, unreliable, small, unpractical van based fiats we have had forced upon us the last few years. Absolute sh*t!
Lord carter’s report was based solely on cost, with no consideration for crew and patient comfort and safety. Our patients are bigger than ever, we have more equipment and drugs to carry then ever before and Lord Carter decided we should be given small van based ambulances. The guy is clearly an idiot.
Has Ford considered a left hand drive model modified for bariatric service in the US? The integral ramp paired with a small winch and center mount bariatric cot would be a superior option.