Revolutionary all-electric fire truck rolls quietly into Phoenix

PHOENIX — A fire truck for the future. That’s the idea behind Rosenbauer America’s all-electric concept fire truck.

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.

.@RosenbauerGroup has developed the first ever all electric fire truck. ♻️🚒 It’s designed to be more efficient, environmentally friendly, and reduce carcinogens in fire stations.
As you can see, it accelerates VERY quickly. @KTAR923 pic.twitter.com/c2JtVrTnPw

— Ali Vetnar (@Ali_Vetnar) January 30, 2020

“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 Thursday while showing off 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 when responding to emergencies.

The truck includes large screens on the dash for the designated captain to use.

It has no side mirrors, making it easier to get around in tight spaces. Instead, there are cameras with interior monitors.

Can you hear that? That’s the sound of @RosenbauerGroup’s all electric fire truck. The concept not only efficient, but they say it’s safer for firefighters when they’re on the scene of an emergency. Also, the turning radius is possible because there’s no engine. @KTAR923 pic.twitter.com/pyHMZn3yTX

— Ali Vetnar (@Ali_Vetnar) January 30, 2020

“One of the great things about this truck is there’s no noise,” Slawson said. “When firefighters are going to a scene and they have a lot of adrenaline and they’re inside the cab and it’s quiet, they don’t have to wear headsets. It gives them the opportunity to really be as prepared as possible.”

Los Angeles is the first fire department in North America to buy one of the electric trucks.

Rosenbauer has also sold them to departments in Berlin, Dubai, Oslo and Copenhagen.

Follow @Ali_Vetnar