How Ford Pro^TM and E-Transit^TM Vans Helped Elite Home Care Deliver Excellent Service at Lower Costs Through EV Adoption

During the onset of COVID-19, Chris Russo, co-founder of Elite Home Care, Day Centers & Transportation (EHC), and his business partner, Andrew Martin, foresaw rising fuel costs for their fleet. The business provides on-site and in-home care for senior citizens and disabled persons, along with transportation to and from its network of adult daycare facilities. Hence, vehicles and related costs are vital points of consideration. Russo and his team geared up to prepare for the economic impact of rising fuel costs.

 

They reached out to the Clean Energy Department of South Carolina, which directed them to a Ford EV Tour event in North Carolina, where Ford was showing mock-ups of still-in-development E-Transit vans. Excited by the prototypes, EHC contacted Ford Pro to begin the electric vehicle (EV) adoption process.

 

Russo and his team also worked with an upfitter specializing in ADA-accessible vans to test the E-Transit van’s compatibility with wheelchair lifts and other accessibility requirements.

 

EHC was one of the first E-Transit customers in the U.S., ordering vehicles in the fall of 2021 and receiving them in early 2022. Since its EV adoption, EHC has transformed its business into a thriving community outreach group that serves primarily underprivileged patients.

 

“We have seen incredible value from our E-Transit implementation,” said Russo. “It’s mind-boggling. We are doing good things for the community and the environment but also seeing major fiscal benefits. In an environment of rising costs everywhere, we’ve seen EVs as a huge opportunity for us and other small businesses to be more cost-efficient.”

 

The fiscal benefits aren’t the only ones EHC has seen since the implementation.

 

“Our passengers love the E-Transit vans,” said Russo. “We work with many folks who have physical or mental disabilities, and the smooth, quiet environment during transportation has been really nice for them.”

 

Ford E-Transit, the No.1-selling all-electric commercial van in the United States,¹¹¹⁰ can help small and large businesses transform their fleets and reap the benefits of EVs.

Caring for EHC the Way It Cares for Patients

 

The transition to EVs is often daunting for companies, but Russo and his team saw a smooth shift, thanks in large part to Ford Pro.

 

“I talk to the Ford Pro team as though they’re a part of our company now,” Russo said. “The level of support we’ve received throughout the process is unbelievable—including helping us develop our charging infrastructure, sourcing equipment, finding contractors and following up to see how things are going. I’ve never experienced anything like it.”

 

Russo also appreciates the Ford Pro team’s impressive ability to retain knowledge about EHC and nuances in their program, including areas the business was looking to improve. Ford Pro followed up and offered advice to help them succeed. “They went through the process to help ensure we understood all the software capabilities to track our vehicles in real time,” he said.

 

EHC uses Ford Pro E-Telematics¹²⁹ to access real-time data on range and charge status.

 

With a smooth implementation and greater visibility into fleet operations, EHC has seen ample business benefits of EVs in the year since implementation.

Making More Room in the Budget

 

In addition to skipping the gas pump, Russo said, EHC has also saved money and time on scheduled vehicle maintenance with EV adoption. He has been impressed by the lack of downtime.

 

The all-electric E-Transit van has fewer moving parts than a gas-powered 2022 Transit® van, which could potentially lower scheduled maintenance costs. Scheduled maintenance costs for the E-Transit van are estimated to be 45% less than the average scheduled maintenance costs for a gas-powered 2022 Transit van over 5 years/75,000 miles (whichever comes first). The estimated average maintenance costs per gas vehicle are $1,420, while the estimated average maintenance costs per electric vehicle are $769.²⁸³

 

Overall, EHC shows just how impactful EVs can be for the operating cost of a small business. According to Russo, EHC has seen nearly $6,500 in savings per vehicle per year across fuel, service and yearly operating costs.

Providing Better Service at Lower Costs

 

For Russo, the best part of saving so much money is that EHC has been able to expand its reach and serve more people in need. “We want to provide the best service at the lowest cost,” he said.

 

EHC is also using savings to purchase more vehicles and open more locations to serve more clients.

 

“The transition to E-Transit vans has been fantastic,” Russo said. “They’ve allowed us to expand our business, because we save so much money. Now we can expand our reach to more people needing care.”

 

EHC has also been able to make more room in the budget for nonprofit work. The business is working to provide transportation to the families of those in hospice care who need to see their loved ones but don’t have the means to travel.

 

“The neglected part of hospice care is often that children and other adult family members don’t have the ability to see their loved ones,” Russo said. “So, we are looking to see if we can donate driver time to transport them to see their loved ones. Moving to E-Transit vans has lowered our fixed costs, and the variable costs are primarily associated with driver time. It’s allowed us to do more of the things we’d like to do to give back.”