The Automaker Responsible for the Most Ambulances Is No Surprise
Emergency vehicles are everywhere, and hopefully, you’ll never need one. If you’ve ever been inside of an ambulance, you know how important it is that they come with a ton of equipment and have the ability to swiftly and safely transport someone to the hospital. So who makes the most ambulances, and what makes them perfect for transporting people during emergencies? You might not be surprised to learn that it’s Ford. Here’s what comes in Ford emergency vehicles.
What company makes the most ambulances?
Ford makes the most ambulances of any auto manufacturer. Most are built on a pickup truck chassis. These are called Type I. American Emergency Vehicles dominate the market in this type of emergency vehicle. American Emergency Vehicles primarily uses Ford chassis. These include platforms from the F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-650.
Of the roughly 78,000 ambulances in the United States, a good number of them are also Type II. This means they are built on a van chassis. There are also Type III, built on a smaller van chassis, and medium-duty ambulances.
Ford has plenty of chassis to choose from
You have three options for a chassis for a Type I from Ford, you have three options for a chassis. These include the F-350, F-450, and F-550. These chassis cabs come with a 6.7-liter V8 diesel engine or a 7.3-liter gas engine. There’s also a Type I Medium Duty chassis, which you can get in 11 different wheelbase lengths and three different cab configurations. There are even three powertrain choices, including a 6.7-liter V8 turbodiesel engine that can make 270 hp and 675 lb-ft of torque or 300 hp and 700 lb-ft of torque. The same engine choice can also come with the ability to make 330 hp and 725 lb-ft of torque.
In addition, the Type I Medium Duty ambulance has hydraulic or air brakes with traction control, a 6-speed automatic transmission, and an available rear suspension package available. Also optional is driver assistance technology with electronic stability control.
Type II and Type III ambulances are lighter-duty
A Type II ambulance is smaller than a Type I or a Type I Medium Duty, and it’s based on a van chassis. In the case of the Ford Type II ambulance, it’s the Ford Transit van with an Ambulance Prep Package and a 3.5-liter V6 engine matched to a 10-speed automatic transmission. You can also choose from two roof heights and three body lengths as well as add on optional privacy glass.
The Type III is built on a cutaway truck chassis. For Ford, that means the Ford Transit Cutaway Chassis. This comes with an Ambulance Prep Package and a 3.5-liter V6 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Type III ambulance also has the choice of three wheelbase lengths.
In addition, you could choose a Type III ambulance built on a Ford E-350 Super Duty cutaway or an E-450 Super Duty cutaway chassis. This comes with the Ambulance Prep package, a 7.3-liter V8 engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission.
Emergency vehicles are vital to our society and it’s good that there are plenty of options to service a variety of communities and their needs. With everything that Ford offers in its emergency vehicle set-ups, it’s no wonder that Ford is responsible for most ambulances.