Excerpts from ktar.com:
The idea behind Rosenbauer America’s all-electric concept fire truck is a fire truck for the future. The vehicle is designed to be more efficient and environmentally friendly than traditional fire trucks and reduce carcinogens in stations and on scene, resulting in decreased exposure to cancer-causing exhaust.
“It’s a 475-horsepower, battery-operated fire truck. It has a sustainability at about an hour to two hours as far as electric charge,” John Slawson, CEO of Rosenbauer America, said while showing the truck at the Phoenix Fire Training Academy. “We have a battery extender with an exclusive 6-liter diesel engine,” he added. “That provides an additional eight hours of service without recharging.”
The world’s first electric fire truck is unlike anything previously seen in the industry. It’s nearly silent and accelerates quickly and stops on a dime, attributes Rosenbauer says are crucial for firefighters. The truck includes large screens on the dash for the officer to use. It has no side mirrors, making it easier to get around in tight spaces. Instead, there are cameras with interior monitors.
Los Angeles is the first fire department in North America to buy one. Rosenbauer has also sold them to departments in Berlin, Dubai, Oslo and Copenhagen.
thanks Austin
#1 by CrabbyMilton on February 7, 2020 - 5:53 AM
100% electric vehicles as designed today are very temperamental especially in extreme temperatures. Gasoline and diesel powered vehicles have a more reliable range. Things will improve over time but we’re not there yet. If you let a vehicle run out of fuel, then you probably don’t have the planning skills to go to the bathroom.
#2 by Craig Mack on February 6, 2020 - 7:42 AM
Love it when people bring up the tesla running out of juice….ya know…cuz no car ever has ever run out of gas before….?
#3 by Mike C on February 6, 2020 - 6:39 AM
It’s one thing to be an electric fire engine but could they have made it better looking? Yuck!
#4 by CrabbyMilton on February 6, 2020 - 6:18 AM
I could see a hybrid apparatus and ambulance. At least you would have a diesel or gasoline engine as backup. I’m not sure I would want the 100% elecr ambulance taking me or a loved one to the hospital to konk out halfway there.
#5 by Mike L on February 5, 2020 - 7:25 PM
Current (pun intended) large vehicle battery technology only allows for about 8-10 hours of steady use but an engine working to pump will indeed eat up power as Rosie states. It is great to see them making the effort to utilize this technology. I would venture to say technology is about 3-4 years out from a fully dependable 24 hour battery that can fast charge.
#6 by Rj on February 5, 2020 - 3:12 PM
If anything, maybe a squad, rescue or ambulance. Definitely nothing with a pump, aerial hydraulic PTO or PTO generator. It could work for ambulances that transport to dedicated hospitals if they had chargers, but this is gonna be a ways off.
#7 by CrabbyMilton on February 5, 2020 - 12:46 PM
Perhaps in several more years we’ll see 100% electric fire apparatus but not just yet. Let’s not forget about that TESLA police car that konked out right in the middle of a chase because it ran out of juice. Imagine an apparatus pumping with all of the lights and other equipment. Then you factor extreme weather with needed extra heat or AC. Come on now, they can’t even come up with a cordless weedeater that will last longer than 15 minutes after a 6 hour full charge.
#8 by Ted on February 5, 2020 - 11:47 AM
Its NOT all Electric if its got a 6 cylinder Diesel motor…..