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Having worked closely with HATS Group and Bluelight Services on Ambulance conversions for some years now, we were excited to be approached with a different kind of conversion – one that none of us had encountered before. The brief seemed straight forward – to create the vehicle livery design, then produce and fit the livery. But this one was different. This was to be the World’s first fully electric solar powered ambulance.
HATS Group – a leading provider of Healthcare Transport Services and Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) Transport – were keen to step into the next generation of vehicle and transport solutions. Electric vehicles are now becoming more and more popular across many sectors and the need for this type of technology is increasingly apparent. HATS Group wanted to ensure that they took action to help minimise their own effect on the environment, whilst continuing the high level of service that they take pride in. They decided upon a fully electric and solar powered Renault Master. UK Ambulance conversion and design specialist Bluelight Services were to be involved in the project, carrying out the vehicle conversion to ensure that HATS Group had everything that their patients would need whilst in transit.
The electric element of the vehicle was the most vital part for the design. We needed something eye-catching that would really get this message across. The corporate colours for HATS Group would also be an integral part of the design and to make it even more bespoke to HATS Group, the London skyline was incorporated. The reflective elements would make up a large proportion of the livery to increase the safety of the ambulance and its passengers.
After working closely with our client on a specific brief, several concepts were created until a final design was approved, at which stage production could begin! A specified vehicle wrap, printed and reflective elements for the ambulance design were produced at our Fleed ID facility. The corporate colour for HATS Group was carefully matched with a warranted Avery wrapping vinyl. Window vision was printed with the London skyline to give passengers privacy, whilst still being able to see outside during their journey. All the reflective elements for the sides and rear of the vehicle were produced using emergency service specified materials. These included 3M Diamond Grade Red (4092) and 3M Diamond Grade fluorescent Yellow/Green (4083).
It was then time to install…
The installation for the vehicle livery took place at the Bluelight Services conversion facility in London. Our professional fitting team worked with Bluelight Services and transformed the once white fully electric Renault Master into the HATS Group ambulance, complete with HATS Group livery and all of the facilities that HATS Group patients would need whilst in their care.
This being a fully wrapped vehicle, the roof was wrapped too. Not too unusual – apart from 3/4 of the roof being made up of solar panels! The solar panels on the roof of the ambulance act as a booster source of energy for the running of the vehicle. This electric Renault Master operates using a normal plug in cable being boosted by the solar panels on the roof. So, of course, we had to make sure nothing interfered with this process. This is the first fully Electric Ambulance, not a drive chain converted vehicle. Although this was a new element to fitting that we hadn’t encountered before, our experienced team applied their knowledge and expertise and achieved a fantastic wrapped roof.
The fitting of the ambulance livery went really well and the conversion looked absolutely fantastic. The HATS Group fully electric Renault Master ambulance was now complete and ready for the road.
Mark Stevenson, Head of Group Marketing and Communications at HATS Group had this to say about their new electric Renault Master ambulance…
“I saw the vehicle for the first time in the flesh today and you and your team have done a phenomenal job in getting exactly the finished product we wanted, Lee. I think it looks bloody marvellous! Thank you for all of your support through the entire process and a massive well done to the guys and girls for doing such a professional job from start to finish on this project. Looks amazing – A MASSIVE thank you and well done.”
Although we have experience of creating and applying livery for electric vehicles, this one was different. The solar panels added a new dimension to the job and we’re really pleased that our customer is as happy as we are for them. We are proud to be part of a World first – an electric ambulance powered by solar energy. It feels like an important moment in the kind of work that we do and for our customers too. We are excited to be part of the electric vehicle revolution and looking forward to a greener future for us all.