Z Energy backs Wellington Free Ambulance fleet electrification

Z Energy has donated 10 workplace electric vehicle (EV) chargers to Wellington Free Ambulance (WFA) as part of the ambulance service’s transition to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) for its Patient Transfer Service.

The partnership supports WFA’s acquisition of six new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEVs to replace an ageing fleet serving Greater Wellington and Wairarapa as the region’s only free 24/7 ambulance service provider.

WFA’s Patient Transfer Service transports more than 43,000 people annually to and from medical treatment, including dialysis and cancer patients, new mothers visiting babies in neonatal intensive care, and hospice patients.

“Our fleet was still safe for our staff to drive and to meet patient needs, but we had to consider whether they would continue to be fit for purpose – and we wanted to think about our environmental impact as well,” says Ratna Attli, Head of Patient Transfer Services at WFA.

Tailored charging solution

Z Energy’s Andrew Bisset, Energy Business Solutions Manager, says his team conducted detailed analysis to develop a charging infrastructure solution for WFA’s specific operational requirements.

“We took a deep dive into WFA’s operations to develop a solution aimed at best supporting their unique needs,” Bisset says.

“We began by analysing their utilisation patterns, including average kilometres driven and typical service routes to understand where and how their vehicles could be charged.”

Following site assessments, Z Energy installed the donated workplace chargers across 10 WFA depots in Wellington, alongside providing access to Z’s public charging network.

WFA Fleet Manager Josh Brain says the workplace charging capability offers operational flexibility for staff.

“Being able to charge at our stations is great, it means staff can charge while on a break or between split shifts,” Brain says.

“We have appreciated the support Z has provided throughout the entire process. They managed the installation of the chargers, which was a complexity we didn’t have to worry about, and they were quick at coming up with solutions on where to strategically place the chargers to minimise the installation cost where possible.”

Ongoing operational support

Z Energy continues to provide WFA with charger management platform access, maintenance services and 24/7 customer support for the workplace charging infrastructure.

Attli says the ongoing support is valuable for WFA’s continuous operations.

“Our PTS operates 17 hours a day, seven days a week. Z’s ongoing support and the availability of 24/7 assistance through the support line helps us maintain the reliability of our charging infrastructure, so our team can focus on carrying out the critical work they do,” she says.

The charger management portal allows WFA to monitor charging activity and track when vehicles have been charged by crew members, Attli says.

“Having Z as a key supplier for fuel and EV charging infrastructure and public charging has definitely streamlined a lot of our processes,” she says.

“The positive difference we make to the community is what matters to me, and being able to provide the team with the right vehicles to be able to do their job well makes it very rewarding.”