New MAN-based ambulance for St John Ambulance from VCS

Ambulance conversion specialist VCS has unveiled a 5-tonne front wheel drive, single rear wheel modular ambulance for St John Ambulance as a bariatric ambulance.

The new vehicle is based on a MAN TGE and uses the new Promech-developed Ultra Low Floor Architecture (ULFA).

This is the first time a low floor bariatric ambulance has been offered to the market, says VCS, with its 5-tonne gross vehicle weight making it capable of carrying specialist medical equipment without any compromise to patient care.

VCS’s new bariatric ambulance is fitted with the manufacturer’s Core Capture lightweight composite body. It also features bespoke alloy wheels and uprated tyres, which are tested beyond the vehicle’s gross vehicle weight.

Mark Kerrigan, managing director at VCS, said: “Our new bariatric ambulance is truly unique, owing to the pioneering Promech-developed ULFA platform.

“By using the ULFA platform, we have been able to raise the MAN TGE’s gross vehicle weight from 3.5-tonne to 5-tonne, despite the vehicle’s front wheel drive configuration. Our in-house design experts have worked extremely closely with MAN Truck & Bus UK and its technical and homologation departments.

“This is the result of 18 months of comprehensive, constant, and rigorous development and testing, to satisfy MAN’s technical requirements and type approvals requirements.”

Graham Cann, fleet manager at St John Ambulance, added: “Our new fleet of low floor bariatric ambulances allows us to future-proof our offering to Critical Care Patients across our network. It has been a pleasure to work with VCS and MAN to deliver this market first, and I’m excited to see these vehicles deployed to deliver patient care across the country.”

Founded in 2010, VCS is one of the largest producers of emergency service vehicles in the UK. Currently, more than 40% of all front-line ambulances in use across the country were manufactured at VCS’s facility in Bradford, West Yorkshire.