Power Options Comparison
Not all power options are created equal! You may have asked yourself… “Which power option is right for my ambulance?” Typically the answer to that question is a combination of cost, maintenance, and more important than ever… environmental footprint. We highly recommend taking a look at your vehicle replacement policy, service resources, and county policies to determine the best power option for your service. Giving more power options allows for flexibility and scalability of your fleets. This article gives you deeper insights into each power option and how each one can enhance your service. LEARN MORE A Side-by-Side Comparison of Power Options Onan MEPS hPower MEPS PMI Option Type Gasoline Powered Generator Under Hood Belt Driven Generator Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Pack System with Idle Mitigation Lithium Ion BatteryPack System withIdle Mitigation Independent from Chassis Engine (*Requires Chassis Engine for Battery Charging) Yes No *Yes *Yes Provides Idle Reduction Yes No Yes Yes Cost Comparison Onan MEPS hPower MEPS PMI Upfront Cost $ 11,000.00 $ 16,500.00 $39,000 – $49,000 Dependant on the number of batteries. $ 35,000.00 Spare Equipment Cost (Not Required, Recommended: 1 Spare per 4 Vehicles) $ 5,350.00 $ 2,600.00 $ 0 $ 2,600.00 Annual Estimated Fuel Cost (Based on National Average: $3.88/Gallon) $ 4,850.00 Negligible 40-50% reduction per year 40-50% reduction per year Annual Preventative Maintenance Cost (Labor Not Included) $ 1,000.00 Approx. $ 400.00 $ 0 Approx. $ 400.00 Maintenance Comparison Onan MEPS hPower MEPS PMI Preventative Maintenance Intervals Every 150 Onan Hours Every 2,500 Engine Hours None Every 2,500 Engine Hours Annual Preventative Maintenance Downtime ~8 Hours 2-5 Hours None 2-5 Hours Frazer 12 VDC Fail-safe Backup Yes Yes Yes Yes Installation Space Large Small Large Large Average Lifespan 7-10k Onan Hours Up to 16k Engine Hours Minimum of 5,000 Charging Cycles 100-50% to maintain 80% of day 1 (new) capacity. 5,000 Charging Cycles Install Complexity Easy Easy Easy (Less Labor for Install) Moderate Further Comparing Battery Systems & Idle Reduction Idle Reduction technology allows for intelligent switching between the generator and stored battery power. When your onboard batteries are charged and providing power, the chassis remains off. The system senses when the batteries need to charge and automatically starts the chassis to begin recharging the batteries. Below is a comparison of our Idle Reduction options. hPower MEPS PMI Battery Capacity Options 8.4 kWh, or 12.7 kWh 8.4 kWh # of Batteries 2 + (Dependent on Available Space) 2 + (Dependent on Available Space) Battery Run Time (Dependent on # of Batteries and Load) 2-4 Hours 1 1/2 – 2 Hours System Startup Automatic, with automatic restart after system shutdown. Automatic Battery Voltage 12V 24V Battery Amperage 660-990 Ah 300 Ah Inverter 5000W 12V-Sine Wave Inverter 5000W 12V-Sine Wave Inverter Display Cerbo Touchscreen Display Color Control Button Display ACU (Alternating Current Unit) Heat No Heat From ACU ACU Heat Alternators No Extra Alternators – OEM Replacement 3rd Alternator Cooling Thematically controlled fan system. Constant Fan Pulling AC from Box Temperature Monitoring Yes No Extra Belts No Extra Belts – Factory OEM Belt Loop Extra Belt Line Cutting Hoses/Lines No Cutting or Moving Hoses Cutting Hoses/Lines Power Option Videos