Check Out the First Electric Fire Truck in the US
Electric vehicles are sweeping the nation, but how long until they’re used for everything? It looks like fire trucks are next on the list. With models like the Tesla Semi truck looming, it was only a matter of time before fire departments went electric with their fire engines. Check out the first electric fire truck in the US.
First electric fire truck in the US
According to Electrek, the Los Angeles City Fire Department has deployed the first electric fire truck in North America. It’s the Rosenbauer RTX, built by the Austrian fire engine manufacturer. In 2019, the company took a prototype on tour across North America to show it to various fire departments. Although others tried to get one first, the LAFD secured the first production model.
As a result, the LAFD recently received the truck and debuted it this weekend. There’s an electric model in a fleet of fire engines for the first time. Moreover, the City of Los Angeles Fire Chief, Kristin Crowley, said this about the new big red EV:
“It will reduce noise, and bring it basically to nothing in regards to diesel emissions. We will actually create the space for our firefighters to be healthier around our fire engines.”
Kristin Crowley, LAFD Fire Chief.
How much does an electric fire engine cost?
The first electric fire truck in the US starts at $900,000. However, the version of the truck the LAFD configured and purchased was more expensive, costing the department $1,200,000. For that reason, it’s unlikely you’ll see EV fire engines at most local fire departments any time soon. For now, they’re reserved for big-city departments with the kind of funding that allows for the change.
Rosenbauer says its electric truck uses a 360 kW electric powertrain and a 132 kWh battery pack. As a result, it’ll be operable for around two hours per charge. Additionally, it still includes all the fire engine equipment you’d expect. Like a 1,000′, 5″ hose and a 1,000′, 2.5″ hose. Next, it uses an adjustable air suspension, providing ground clearance between 7- and 19-inches. Finally, its water tank holds between 500 and 750 gallons depending on the configuration. For pumping the liquid out, it uses a pump with a capacity of 750 to 1,500 GPM.
Are there electric police vehicles?
Like fire trucks, we already have electric police vehicles on the horizon. The NYPD will soon be using one highly-coveted new EV model. More specifically, the Ford Mustang Mach-E will become a regular part of the police fleet. Other models, like from Tesla, have been used for the same purpose. With laws changing for fuel consumption, many more EVs will enter the workforce in the coming years. We’d expect entirely electric fleets within the next 5 to 10 years.
Check out the first electric fire truck
In conclusion, the first electric fire truck is a step toward a more eco-friendly large vehicle. With semi-trucks going electric, we figured it was only a matter of time before fire departments gained something similar. The LAFD debuted an electric fire truck in its fleet for the first time. However, it cost them $1.2 million, so we wouldn’t expect to see them in many other places for quite some time.
