It's the latest role for Skoda's potent family 4x4.
An air ambulance service in the Midlands has enlisted some help in the form of two Skoda Kodiaq RS 4x4s. The Warwickshire and Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance service, which operates across those counties, is using the versatile vehicles as ground support for its helicopters, staff, and crews.
Because the air ambulance service’s helicopters do not fly during the hours of darkness, the charity uses road vehicles to respond to emergencies. Over the first three months of 2020 alone, the organization has undertaken more than 600 combined missions and covered around 10,000 miles on the road.
As a result, the charity required a vehicle that could access remote locations, as well as offering enough space to carry the life-saving equipment the first responders might need. The Kodiaq RS, which combines a 236-horsepower 2.0-liter diesel engine with all-wheel drive, was deemed to fit the bill.
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Both cars were tailored to the air ambulance service’s demands, with specialist work carried out by Skoda-approved converter Halls Electrical Limited. And the two Kodiaq RS models should fit right in, as they are joining a fleet that already contains two Skoda Superbs, which help the emergency teams operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
“It is more imperative than ever that our fleet of critical care cars are able to meet the demands of the job,” said the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance Service’s director of operations, Richard Clayton. “The reliability, versatility and power of the two new Kodiaq RS models will enable us to continue to respond rapidly to emergencies across the Midlands.”
It’s yet another emergency use Skoda has found for the Kodiaq, which was recently offered to police forces in dog unit guise, after also having been converted to an ambulance. And in go-faster vRS guise, the car has even been converted into an all-terrain police pursuit vehicle.
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Skoda is making a habit of such conversions, having made ‘blue-light’ modifications to cars including the Fabia, Scala, and Karoq. But perhaps the most commonly sighted vehicle to hit U.K. roads with blue lights on the roof is the Octavia used as a paramedic first response vehicle.
Skoda says it offers these bespoke conversions for emergency service fleets through its ‘one-stop’ package. The company can provide the vehicles fully converted to the organization’s needs with finance solutions included, alongside conversion, breakdown recovery, servicing and maintenance packages that are built into the deal.
FLYING ACROSS THE MIDLANDS; ŠKODA’S POWERFUL KODIAQ VRS JOINS LOCAL AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE
- Two range-topping ŠKODA Kodiaq vRS vehicles have been added to the local Air Ambulance Service fleet
- The vehicles will provide vital ground support to the charity’s critical care teams
- The 239PS Kodiaq vRS joins two ŠKODA Superb models already on fleet
Milton Keynes, 31 March 2020 – 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.