Electric Fire Trucks On The Way!

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We’re finally getting electric fire trucks!

Volvo Penta has developed an electric powertrain to put into fire trucks produced by Rosenbauer. The name of the electrified fire truck is “Revolutionary Technology.”

For now, there are just 3 test trucks. They are going into trial service in Berlin, Germany; Amsterdam, Netherlands; and Dubai, UAE.

Aside from the tremendous cut in CO2 emissions and other pollution, the fire truck simply looks cool. Furthermore, it has a number of modifications for the future of firefighting.

“By walking away from conventional commercial vehicle concepts and developing an electric solution for the truck’s driveline, Volvo Penta and its customer Rosenbauer have introduced a completely new vehicle architecture which is set to transform the fire service industry,” Volvo Penta writes.

“With its electric driveline, the fire truck boasts excellent ergonomics, functionality, and safety, as well as high loading volumes, compact dimensions and one-of-a-kind agility. The Volvo Penta electric driveline also brings benefits such as zero exhaust emissions and significantly reduced noise levels.”

The Revolutionary Technology (shortnamed “RT”) includes two motors which combine for 360 kW of power (490 HP) and up to 50,000 Nm of torque. Battery size and range on a full charge are not indicated, and neither is max charging speed. In other words, details are still slim.

However, it is also indicated that there’s a diesel engine backup system in case of the battery running out of electricity somehow, so it is a plug-in hybrid fire truck and we’re missing some key details to evaluate exactly how deeply it is electric.

“As part of the Volvo Group, Volvo Penta leveraged proven technology and competence from Volvo Trucks and Volvo Buses, and adapted it to meet the performance requirements of a fire service application.”

But is it just a fire truck with a battery? Is it actually a downgrade for fire departments because of some sort of limitation? Apparently, quite the opposite.

“The RT is in a different league to modern standard firefighting vehicles in terms of its operational tactical benefits, loading options and firefighting equipment,” says Dieter Siegel, CEO at Rosenbauer International.

“Volvo Penta already supplied us with diesel engines for our conventional fire trucks. After many years of successful collaboration – coupled with the fact that they are part of the Volvo Group which is leading the way when it comes to electromobility and electric trucks – they were the ideal partner for the RT project. We’ve worked together closely to design a tailored solution, using proven Volvo technology, that enables our electric fire truck to do its job in a safer, more effective and more sustainable way than a conventional vehicle.”