1. Introduction
Hiace Ambulance; The basic specifications were JING pair and CAP pattern, with diesel and gasoline engines. High roof and long wheelbase 2WD were also required. Since we are dealing with ambulances, we need to be keen on the difference between ALS and BLS ambulances, as the needs of the driver and patient are not the same. The larger ambulances designed to carry Advanced Life Support (ALS) equipment generally have the patient sit facing the back between the second and third rows. This mimics the arrangement where the patient could face the driver or the coachman. To support the patient, the driver must stock and administer the ALS drugs, and oversight of the patients on these ambulances has to be carried out by a doctor, typically via telemedicine.
A smaller subclass of BLS ambulances only requires a paramedic who might be a lower-skilled first aider. On these smaller vehicles, the patient sits on a stretcher which is positioned across the vehicle. On some vehicles, patient transfer equipment is employed which, to avoid rolling, makes the vehicle high roof. This is certainly the case with the Toyota Hiace. The newer shape Hiace has similar dimensions but has more cargo space because the longer chassis is dropped a little between the wheel arches. Also, the newer shape has a longer wheelbase in four trims. In discussing these vehicles, we are dealing with street ambulances, capable of handling most car accident scenes where doors need to be forcibly opened, multiple occupants need to be extracted from a vehicle, and patients should be put onto spine boards. We are targeting small-town healthcare providers who do not have large numbers of ambulances already to see characteristics of these affordable vehicles. They can apply for grant funding, and the vehicle spec is generally known in advance of the grant application window. They can have finance approved in advance and have tenders evaluated. Petrol-driven vehicles can run at lower occupancy before they become more expensive than their diesel-driven counterparts.
2. Hiace Ambulance Specifications
Hiace Ambulance; The present study details the technical specifications of patient transport ambulances (PTA) which are planned to be introduced in the public safety region of Alkmaar in the Netherlands after several stakeholders reviewed it. Diesel or gasoline engine versions are taken into account for various contents and designs and for old and new shapes. Special focus is given to Hiace ambulances as requested. The high-quality ambulances are based in Japan on certain passenger vans with reliable and easy-to-maintain strong engines, but there is no right-hand drive panel. For ambulance services, the car’s interior is large enough and contemporary, and there is an easy and well-prepared import history of small adjustments in structural improvement and quality control.
Hiace Ambulances PTAs are supposed to be reliable and require low operating costs and a wide range of patient suitability. The parameter differences for ALS and BLS are also determined, including the highest trim. The main characteristics are clear for the following versions and formats, but color and finishing are also a point of conversation. ALS cars have advanced life support and a comfort system of the highest requirements concerning parts and equipment, whereas BLS cars have to be taken into a somewhat simplified configuration and main quality requirements. High deductibles and low fuel needs are suited to popular usage, as their compact exterior provides dimensions. Diesel is recommended to drive a Hiace car. The 2.8-liter 4-cylinder diesel engine is not only powerful but also reliably efficient and has a structure that is aimed at low operating costs.
2.1. Hiace Ambulance Diesel Engine Specifications
In the Cruiser BS and BS Ambulance range, a powerful direct injection diesel engine that produces a maximum torque of 300 Nm at a range of up to 1200-2400 RPM is used. These vehicle engines have a 2.8-liter displacement and a bore and stroke of 92 and 103.6 mm, respectively. Advanced technologies have been used in diesel engines not only to improve fuel efficiency and reduce harmful emissions, but also to produce more power and torque while maintaining environmental cleanliness. Their maximum cylinder bore is 16, and the valve system is SOHC with VVT-i technology. In total, the 16-valve engine is capable of producing a continuous power output of 178 hp. The top engine speed is 4000 RPM. Diesel engine cruisers are known for their fuel efficiency, which is between 10 to 12 kilometers per liter. This engine has the best performance at lower RPMs, which is critically important for ambulances that need to be operated at average speeds of 140 km in emergencies.
Today’s diesel engine services have led to ambulance operators’ preferences for installing diesel engines in their vehicles. Apart from this, diesel engine vehicles will serve for a longer period. The diesel engine provides more power and better control, which results in fewer vibrations in an ambulance during long and urgent calls late at night. In addition to that, the diesel engine consumes less fuel compared to the gasoline engine, with a consumption of 9.6 to 13 kilometers per liter. When fully loaded with patients and attendants, the diesel engine vehicle would perform at its best in the required conditions. Diesel engine vehicle needs will be reduced twice as compared to gasoline engines. When stopped at an idle speed, the diesel engine vehicle’s MPG will be at the top and would save us a lot of fuel; this will improve our working capability.
2.2. Hiace Ambulance Gasoline Engine Specifications
The 2.7L four-cylinder gasoline engines used in the small new shape and gasoline variants in the standard roof old shape produce 118 kW and 243 Nm at 4500 rpm and 3800 rpm respectively. Power and torque ratings are 70 kW and 241 Nm, again at 3300 rpm and 1600-2400 rpm, for new-shape gasoline variants with high roofs and the front-wheel-drive version of the old-shape standard roof ambulances. All the gasoline ambulances have four-speed automatic transmissions. Petrol-engined Hiaces can accelerate to 100 km/h in 12.8 seconds, and a 3 m alternative with the same engine option as the standard roof manages 18.2 seconds. The highest average annual fuel consumption I have seen quoted for a gasoline Hiace ambulance is 12.0 litres/100 km. This is much worse than that of the diesel ones, which max out at 10.2 litres/100 km in naturally aspirated versions but reach a best of 9.0 litres/100 km for supercharged variants.
Gasoline-fuelled EMS wagons can accelerate more rapidly than equivalent diesel-powered ones, so they are more suitable for some urban requirements, but their poorer fuel efficiency and higher weight, acquired when an additional 80 L fuel tank was added to increase operating range, rule them out for use in urban areas where they are likely to have to be lifted off the ground to navigate speed humps. Slightly fewer people in the sample brake the tachometer when driving the gasoline supercharged vehicles than do when driving the gasoline naturally aspirated ones. The prevalence of brake tachometer flashing occurs at a higher average mileage in the natural ambient intake versions, which is likely easily explained by the difference in the ambulances’ ages. There are some complaints from both operators and service staff, relating to engine ‘hunting’ or rough idle. There have been instances reported of the engine stalling on return from a hot, high-speed run, resulting intermittently in a ‘won’t restart’ condition… so far, no real cause found – usually put down to fuel evaporation or vapor lock in the fuel system. No real solution identified yet.
3. Hiace Ambulance ALS and BLS Ambulance Options
Hiace Ambulance, clients have the option of either Advanced Life Support or Basic Life Support ambulances. An ALS ambulance is staffed with Advanced Life Support medics, while a BLS ambulance is staffed with Basic Life Support medical staff. ALS personnel and ambulances are equipped with additional medical skills and equipment to perform more advanced medical interventions than BLS staff and ambulances. An ALS ambulance is staffed with paramedics. An ALS paramedic has over 10 years of medical education and is capable of administering all medications and advanced care. This technology is employed in ambulances that have airlifted medical staff to remote and metropolitan communities or at public events where a high level of care is required. BLS ambulances are those that cater to individuals with less critical injuries or whose lives are not threatened. This requirement complies with most regulations and could be a versatile and cost-effective solution for many industries. It is important to choose the most effective ambulance for various situations.
Basic Life Support or Advanced Life Support options exist. There are basic and advanced variations for all. When it rains, a 3L turbo engine is utilized. There is no other difference. In medical settings, both Basic Life Support and Advanced Life Support serve a significant and crucial part. The Basic Life Support and Advanced Life Support are the types based on the medical care provided. Depending on the budget and the intention, one may choose Advanced Life Support or Basic Life Support. Advanced Life Support has more advantages and advanced medical supplies than Basic Life Support. In a scenario where ambulances are to be used to run between hospitals and clinics and have a bit of emergency requirement, Basic Life Support serves the purpose. This helps in reducing the operational cost and response time. The choice also helps in optimizing the ambulance fleet. An ALS ambulance is equipped with Advanced Life Support medical equipment and staffed with ALS paramedics. The ALS ambulance is often designed lower and longer to increase its stability and maneuverability. This seems trivial, but in a critical situation, this helps a lot.
4. High Roof vs Standard Roof Variants
In the write-up done in 3.3 showing advantages of high roof ambulances and 3.2 for standard roof ambulances, reference is made to designs and functionalities. In addition, patient care is also included in the specifications, such as comfortable patient transport. In a high roof vehicle, in terms of design, the higher roof provides easier access for patients who may be carried in the vehicle. Most importantly, it provides more working space and a more comfortable environment for paramedics in tending to patients while in the vehicle. In the urban scenario, a standard roof ambulance is more likely to go into parking garages and most drive-through fast food restaurants without clearance issues. Standard roof vans get a bit better fuel economy. Customers in some regions like the high roof vehicle because medical personnel are more comfortable. In New Shape ambulances, the high roof narrows the space above and around the ALS equipment (and for the auxiliary BLS equipment and optional wheelchair), so there is a slight flexibility advantage in the standard roof ambulance.
In any case, the most comfortable choice for the paramedics might influence your decision in favor of purchasing the old shape vans. Another consideration is that a higher roof can be seen on the finished vehicle to determine if it is a BLS or ALS unit, and therefore for brand recognition for the mission of the ambulance. Customers who furnish their ambulances with vinyl wraps or full-coverage solid color paint may place less of a priority on roof height. Patients are not generally expected to ever sit up in their cots, and an upright position is not medically indicated. However, a smooth, gradual transition from a horizontal to a vertical position can be more comfortable. This can be beneficial for patients with other medical comfort issues up to and including positional or pressure ulcers. Additionally, patients are more likely to be ‘head-up’ when being carried by an agency’s two-EMT BLS initial response units. While aesthetics are debatable and not quantifiable, these factors represent customer influences and are included herein primarily as considerations, which might influence the market.
4.1. Old Shape Options
We designed our own style of ambulances until the early 2000s that used the Toyota Hiace diesel. We installed a transverse stretcher and as much equipment as possible in the rear, leaving plenty of room in the front and side to work on the patient. Advancements in technology in the second half of the 20th century permitted more comfortable, more effective patient care, and we maximized our ability to deliver that care in the design of our Hiace ambulances. The mid-roof, solid window, windowless design was adapted from these original designs to accommodate changes in vehicle technology. Newer Hiace ambulances have been developed to be used with BLS.
A modern diesel Toyota Hiace ambulance with full ALS capacity is replacing the Hiace diesel. Because the new Hiace petrol is of smaller capacity than the Hiace diesel, a high roof variant is an option. While the higher roof allows more equipment to fit, the engine of the Hiace petrol is still behind the front seat, so room for the patient is still cramped compared to the old shapes with the engine under the front. It should be recognized that facilities still work heavily out of older shape vehicles. These well-designed vehicles retain their functionality even in today’s environment. Patient care on scene is becoming a bigger part of the work of a paramedic every day, and so the need for a large vehicle dedicated to operating on the patient is once again a requirement.
The original Hiace design was the best small ambulance configuration available on these vehicles from the 1970s until the year 2000. The later two designs have incrementally improved over the original designs. It is frequently registered by the police cyclists in the survey, particularly the fitted stretcher part, and our commercial clients need up-to-date information to show that there is a substantial shift away from these designs that are unacceptable to the community. Generally, our market is shifting away from the older shapes and toward the newer shapes. To retain the perceived value of the old shapes and keep the value of second-hand vehicles, one low-cost option to explore is to look at getting some form of a rise in the patient area in the old shapes so that newer style stretchers could be fitted without cutting the body. This would also allow for a quick fix to any potential stretcher fitting problems. Standard design stretchers are on the verge of a major change, so a decision to extend the life of the old shapes may not be worthwhile.
4.2. New Shape Options
The newer shape ambulances have a more modern vehicle design and generally have improved specifications in the following areas:
• Comfort for driver, crew, and patients • Full roadworthiness to international standards • Airbags and anti-lock brakes • Potential for being Euro 4 compliant • Low fuel efficiency • Easier to drive • Easier to work in • Easier to clean
Heads of intensive care would generally prefer to buy as modern an ambulance as possible, although the bigger maintenance costs would be a bit of a drawback because they could buy more ambulances for the same amount of operational funds if they budgeted for less expensive maintenance vehicles. The biggest drawback was the downturn in the used ambulance market because operators would need to trade in their vehicles or sell them to finance newer shape vehicles. Design advancements in the new Hiace have been made by a team of more than 1,000 engineers who worked extensively with end users to create an advanced new emergency ambulance with easy access to the operating area.
The new Hiace also has new wheelbase and engine size configurations for different on- and off-road specifications of the vehicle. Trade-in prices for ambulances in excess of 280,000 kilometers are no longer more than the bank is willing to finance and can be included in a similar finance situation as vehicles with any lower kilometer reading because depreciation and trade-in values are no longer a mathematical guaranteed certainty. It is expected that current shape Hiace sales will cease as a final blow to the mass production model, but the new shape Hiace is already available in the showroom. The new shape Hiace is only available in diesel. Because the design of the new shape Hiace integrates modern vehicle ambulance design and is such a radical change from the current shape, it is expected to be equally successful in the global market as it has been in Australia. Users all over the world are expecting their vehicle manufacturers to produce ambulances of this caliber.
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