Seattle Fire Dept. Boosts Miles Per Gallon with XL Hybrids
Connected fleet electrification leader XL Hybrids, has announced that several ambulances for The City of Seattle’s fire department are now equipped with XL3® Hybrid Electric Drive System with the goal of increasing miles driven per gallon for the fire department and reducing carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions.
So, how is it going? In just nine months with the hybrid-electric ambulances, the Seattle Fire Department reports it has achieved 23 percent increase in miles driven per gallon and a 19 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.
The results from the hybrid-electric ambulances have exceeded the City’s expectations. With this recent success, the city is ordering up to 10 more vehicles this year, including Ford Transit vans equipped with XL Hybrids systems for the Seattle Department of Public Utilities.
The hybrid-electric ambulances have been used over tens of thousands of miles of driving on Seattle’s steeply graded urban streets and in fluctuating temperature. Used in 911 emergency response in Seattle’s city center, the XL Hybrids system, according to the company, has the same or better torque than stock ambulances.
“By proving themselves in a rigorous and demanding urban duty cycle, the retrofitted hybrid-electric ambulances are a successful beginning to our partnership with The City of Seattle,” said Clay Siegert, co-founder and chief operating officer of XL Hybrids. “We look forward to expanding our hybrid vehicle program with Seattle to reduce carbon dioxide and NOx emissions, and to continue contributing to Seattle’s sustainability initiatives.”
The ambulances are equipped with XL Link™, XL Hybrids’ proprietary cloud-based fleet vehicle connectivity and analytics system. Measuring MPG performance, fuel savings and CO2 reduction, XL Link gives easy access on smartphones and laptops for fleet managers to monitor their sustainability goals and cost savings.
XL3 is transparent to fleet operations because the hybrid-electric technology requires no fueling infrastructure, no special plugs or extra driver training. Compatible with new and existing Class 2 to 6 commercial fleet vehicles, the XL Hybrids system can be installed in just hours. The XL3 system installation leaves the original equipment manufacturer’s powertrain and warranty completely intact.
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