ŠKODA’s most powerful SUV, the Kodiaq vRS, has joined the local Air Ambulance Service fleet, helping emergency teams provide lifesaving critical care to patients across Warwickshire,Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland.
ŠKODA’s rugged 4x4 has been signed up to aid the air ambulance team with on-the-ground support. The air ambulance is consistently in high demand, and alongside other emergency services across the UK, is working harder than ever. Already this year, the specialist team has undertaken 619 combined missions alongside the children’s air ambulance and covered 9,708 miles on the road.
The charity’s helicopters do not fly at night and instead rely on their rapid response road fleet to get to incidents quickly and safely. Powered by a twin turbo charged 2.0-litre TDI engine and equipped with four-wheel drive, the Kodiaq vRS fully meets the team’s needs to gain access to even the most remote sites across the Midlands.
The advanced drivetrain delivers 239PS and can sprint from 0-62mph in
just 7.0 seconds. Its vast reserves of torque – the highest figure ever
delivered by a production ŠKODA model – also means that power is on tap
whenever it is needed. To ensure a comfortable drive for passengers,
the engine’s performance is delivered to the road as smoothly as
possible, thanks to the Dynamic Chassis Control and progressive
steering.
It’s not just power and all-wheel drive that makes the Kodiaq an ideal choice for the emergency services, its cavernous interior has space to comfortably transport both passengers and life-saving equipment. Critical care teams can also rely on the Kodiaq to keep them connected to base with the 9.2” touchscreen display with full smartphone connectivity and integrated Wi-Fi and WLAN.
Richard Clayton, Director of Operations at the Local Air Ambulance Service, said: “It is more imperative than ever, that our fleet of critical care cars are able to meet the demands of the job. The reliability, versatility and power of the two new Kodiaq vRS models will enable us to continue to respond rapidly to emergencies across the Midlands.”
The introduction of the two ŠKODA Kodiaq vRS models bolsters the local air ambulance’s critical care fleet, which already consists of two ŠKODA Superbs, to provide 24/7 support to the emergency teams, 365 days a year.
To ensure the vehicles were up for the challenging demands set by the local air ambulance, the conversions were tailored to their exact specific requirements, with Halls Electrical Limited, a ŠKODA approved convertor, completing the necessary specialist work.
Bespoke conversions for emergency service fleets can be provided through ŠKODA’s ‘one-stop’ shop package. Alongside hassle-free finance solutions, ŠKODA fleet can provide the vehicles fully converted to suit specific requirements, and fleet managers have the peace of mind that the conversion, breakdown recovery, service, maintenance and repair requirements are built into one package.
For more information about ŠKODA emergency service vehicles, visit: www.skoda.co.uk/fleet/emergency-services
The Local Air Ambulance is funded by charitable donations. For more information visit: www.theairambulanceservice.org.uk