This from Martin Nowak:
Just wanted to share some fire news outside of Illinois. Do you guys think this will be the future of fire service? What are your thoughts on this?
E-ONE® RECEIVES ORDER FROM THE MESA FIRE AND MEDICAL DEPARTMENT FOR A VECTOR™, NORTH AMERICA’S FIRST FULLY ELECTRIC FIRE TRUCK
OCALA, FL–November 1, 2021 – E-ONE, a subsidiary of REV Group, Inc. (NYSE: REVG), announces it is building an all-electric Vector™ fire truck for Mesa Fire and Medical Department in Mesa, AZ.REV Fire Group first announced the introduction of its all-electric fire truck, now named Vector, in August, and Mesa is the first confirmed order announcement. The customizable Vector has the industry’s longest electric pumping duration using 316 kilowatts of total battery power which enables the truck to pump at 750 GPM through four hose lines for four hours on a single charge.
“In developing the Vector, we worked closely with our customers to identify their product needs. Using this feedback, we designed a robust EV rig that upholds our commitment to providing the highest quality and best performing fire apparatus,” said Mike Virnig, Vice President of Sales, REV Fire Group. “We are excited to partner with Mesa in protecting both their community and the environment and look forward to delivering the first of these revolutionary EV fire trucks. The Vector is well equipped to serve the needs of Mesa firefighters and customizable for department needs across the country.”
Additional features of the Vector include a low battery placement which offers a safer, lower center of gravity, and a 400 kw (536 HP) electric drive motor with regenerative braking. Pumping can be certified to NFPA standards operating on electric power only at 1250 GPM with maximum flows higher depending on pump options. Also, the fire department can select the tank capacity to hold up to 1030 gallons of water and foam.
Customized features on the Mesa apparatus include:
- 100-inch wide cab with raised roof
- Extruded aluminum body with full height / full depth compartments each side
- Clean cab design with no SCBA in the cab
- Upgraded air conditioning system with additional evaporator in rear of cab
- Electronic stability control
- Galvanized and powder coated double rail frame with 194-inch wheelbase
- Severe duty front bumper with full width tray
- Thermal battery management system
- 500 amps of available 12 volt power
- Range extender for emergency back-up power
- Heavy duty two-arm overhead ladder rack with 16 and 28-foot ladders
- Low hosebed design holds a total of 1750 feet of hose
- 2002 FoamPro foam system
- AXIS™ Smart truck technology
This rig supports the City of Mesa’s Climate Action Plan and goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. “I’m an advocate for electric vehicles — it’s a better technology and this is one of many steps we can take to bring us closer to our Climate Action Plan goals,” said Mayor John Giles. “We look forward to this as a study in the potential cost-savings and efficiency of electric vehicles in City operations.”
H&E Equipment, an E-ONE authorized dealer, is handling the order and delivery is expected in 2022.
#1 by Wayne on November 5, 2021 - 5:34 PM
What I think is being lost in some of these criticisms is that we have to start somewhere with this stuff. I’d hope the manufacturers and buyers of these rigs are planning for contingencies like a 6 hour defensive attack. I’d also assume that Mesa is well aware that they have hot summers and Madison is well aware of their winter conditions. High volume municipal services with lots of manpower and help nearby are great spots for trying these out as hopefully with good planning and lots of help available in the event of a problem they can start working towards making this a viable option for more departments.
It also reminds me of one of my favorite sayings: “Firemen hate two things, change, and the way things are.”
#2 by Crabbymilton on November 5, 2021 - 9:10 AM
John stole most of my thunder. Yes you would need a special generator unit to keep it pumping for a long duration scene hence defeating the purpose of an all electric movement. There are vehicles that would be ok as all electric such as school buses, taxi cabs and delivery trucks. But not emergency vehicles at least until the technology improves. Otherwise you have a similar scenario where that TESLA S squad car ran out of juice while chasing the bad guy. Let’s not forget that Diesel engines are hardly the noisy and stinky engines of years ago. They are clean and almost as quiet as the engine in your car. Until these all electric vehicle systems improve to erase any reasonable doubts, it’s just symbolic.
#3 by Mike L on November 4, 2021 - 8:58 PM
It’s funny to see the comments on here about this topic… Rosenbauers don’t look like real fire apparatus, political agendas are the real reason behind electric vehicles; not technology… you would have been the same people fighting motorization 100 years ago. Evolution can be a scary thing for some people.
#4 by John Antkowski on November 4, 2021 - 8:42 PM
Electric may see the light of day eventually, but I don’t see it performing in well in an active firehouse. They have great hybrid technology in cars and light trucks. I would rather invest in the hybrid system. What about operating these vehicles in extreme weather conditions could also pose a problem. And what about extended isolated situations. You would have to bring in a gas or diesel generator to recharge the rig. Plus Maintenance could be a huge nightmare. Pierce is notorious for back logging on parts and scheduled or warranty work. Not to mention that three quarters of new Apparatus is electrical as it is, so why add more? Just saying
#5 by Ted on November 4, 2021 - 11:57 AM
battery operated trucks have been attempted for over 100 years, even in the City of Chicago, this is not new technology, it is not proven to be any more economical then internal combustion engines, when the efficiencies, performance, and dependability overcome the combustible engine vehicles, it might take off, it is like the diesel engine over steam locomotives, this is an issue pushed by the left, and not pushed by technological improvements!
#6 by Mike C on November 4, 2021 - 6:55 AM
I’m not a big fan myself for the electric although it’ll likely continue to move forward. The green initiative isn’t as green as it’s made out to be. Unless the lithium can be disposed of properly and the lithium miners start using environmentally friendly tractors, machines, etc. to mine, I don’t think this green initiative is as beneficial as it’s made out to be. Today’s fire apparatus has cleaner air coming out of the pipe than the air actually going into the engine. I actually think natural gas is a better option over diesel and electric.
#7 by Michael m on November 4, 2021 - 5:45 AM
Mesa from the looks of it has been a long time Pierce customer. They just took delivery of a Pierce Velocity Engine earlier this year for engine 207.
#8 by Michael m on November 4, 2021 - 5:41 AM
At least E-Ones and Pierces Electric fire engines look like fire engines do today. Rosenbauers fire engine does not look anything like fire engines do today. Los Angeles was the city that got the Rosenbauer engine. I think it I is safe to say Madison was the first city in the Midwest to get an electric fire engine. Madison’s does still have a small engine that runs when Engine 8 is fighting a fire. I am guessing this one will have a small engine as well so it can pump at a fire.
#9 by Austin on November 3, 2021 - 5:01 PM
It will be the future one day, but the first few cities that get them will be the guinea pigs. If successful or promising, then you will see a lot more orders. I just wish everyone wouldn’t solely focus on electric, there are many other green options out there. But like Mike L said, its still in the early years so only time will tell how this will work. I think it will be great in its current form for small to mid size towns/cities that don’t have many fires. Like with every new technology, you have to start somewhere. Electric cars have been around since at least the early 80’s (more kit type cars, but they worked the same way as they do today for the most part). So you can already see the progression of electric vehicles. Fire engines and heavy duty trucks will probably get there one day with the range.
#10 by Mike L on November 3, 2021 - 4:38 PM
Rosenbauer delivered the first electric rig to a department in California followed by Pierce to Madison and now E-One to Mesa. As it says, it can pump 4 lines at 750gpm before needing a recharge. Although it doesn’t specifically say it, it appears that it will still have a diesel engine for auxiliary power and recharging capabilities. To answer your question, Martin, yes, this is the future of the fire service not unlike going from buckets to hand carts to horses to gas and then diesel motorization. Battery technology, like combustion tech 100-120 years ago, is still in its toddler years and will only continue to improve. 50 years from now there will be something that makes EV obsolete. Evolution, ingenuity and progress, pardon the pun, drives the fire service forward.
#11 by Dan on November 3, 2021 - 4:05 PM
How long will the batteries last before it needs charging.
Summers in Mesa are brutal, with highs around 120. When you add the air conditioning, the battery won’t last that long.
And if you a large, long fire, you might to recharege at the scene. How do you do that?
And summers in Mesa/Phoenix are brutal and take toll on batteries. How often will they need to be replace and what is the most?
#12 by Chicagoland fire photos on November 3, 2021 - 3:08 PM
This seems to just be blatantly wrong pierce has the first delivered fully electric truck
#13 by harry on November 3, 2021 - 2:26 PM
pierce makes an all electric fire truck to and rosenbauer