Netcare Diagnostics has introduced its first fully electric vehicles into its pathology transport fleet as it explores ways to reduce the environmental impact of collecting and transporting patient specimens.
The healthcare group has purchased Geely E2 Aspire electric hatchbacks for use on shorter urban collection routes in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.
The vehicles were handed over by Geely Auto South Africa at Netcare’s head office in Sandton on Thursday, with Netcare Group CEO Dr Richard Friedland and Netcare Diagnostics managing director Marc van Heerden receiving the vehicles.
Pathology transport requires vehicles to collect patient specimens from healthcare facilities and deliver them to laboratories within prescribed timeframes.
Netcare Diagnostics provides equipment, infrastructure, logistics and operational support for pathology services across Netcare facilities. Its network includes a central laboratory in Gauteng and regional laboratories in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, Polokwane, Tshwane and the Western Cape.
Netcare said the E2 Aspire was selected after considering factors including the distances covered on collection routes and opportunities to recharge vehicles between journeys.
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Dedicated charging units have been installed at hospitals and pathology laboratories from which the electric vehicles will operate. This will allow them to recharge while drivers wait for specimens.
Van Heerden said the initial deployment would also serve as a test of how electric vehicles perform under the operational requirements of pathology logistics. “In pathology, our first responsibility is to ensure specimens reach our laboratories reliably and on time,” he said.
“We identified the Geely E2 Aspire as the most appropriate electric vehicle for these shorter routes at this stage. This initial deployment will enable us to assess how it performs in daily use and where electric vehicles may be suitable elsewhere in our fleet.”
Geely Auto South Africa chief operating officer Greg Maruszewski said the initiative demonstrated a potential role for electric vehicles in commercial and organisational fleets. “This initiative demonstrates the practical role electric mobility can play in organisations that serve people every day,” Maruszewski said.
The E2 is a compact five-door battery-electric hatchback aimed primarily at urban driving, with Netcare opting for the Aspire derivative. The move forms part of Netcare’s broader environmental sustainability programme, which was introduced in 2013. The healthcare group has since implemented various initiatives aimed at reducing its environmental footprint across its operations.
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The company has not indicated how many E2s have been introduced or whether there is a timetable for expanding electric vehicles to longer pathology collection routes.
- Netcare Diagnostics has introduced Geely E2 Aspire electric hatchbacks into its pathology transport fleet for shorter urban routes in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape.
- The electric vehicles were handed over by Geely Auto South Africa at Netcare’s head office in Sandton, received by Netcare Group CEO Dr Richard Friedland and managing director Marc van Heerden.
- Dedicated charging units have been installed at hospitals and pathology laboratories to allow the electric vehicles to recharge while drivers wait for specimens.
- The initial deployment aims to test the performance of electric vehicles under the operational requirements of pathology logistics, focusing on reliability and timeliness.
- This move is part of Netcare's broader environmental sustainability programme, which has been running since 2013 and includes initiatives to reduce the company's environmental footprint.
