Green Revolution Brings World's First Electric Fire Truck
ST. PAUL, MINN. (WCCO) – As cities across the country adopt carbon neutral goals, one local company is putting it into practice.
For more than 150 years, Rosenbauer has been building fire engines of all types and sizes. From airport crash trucks, to more conventional ladders and engines. But the Austrian company's latest venture is going all-electric.
"Well, it's the future of fire trucks," Rosenbauer's Steve Harris said.
The company's latest design is a multi-purpose, all-electric fire engine. And because it's battery powered, it is super quiet.
"That's another neat piece of this. With this truck when it is in a high stress situation, it's much easier to operate. Firefighters can think clearly when it's quiet versus having loud engines running in the background," Harris said.
That becomes obvious when the truck is demonstrated to a crowd of St. Paul firefighters on Wednesday.
St. Paul Fire Chief Butch Inks was immediately impressed. Inks says the vehicle will fit a growing need as more and more cities set goals to become carbon neutral.
"This technology and the innovation around this technology along with the environmental concerns that went into developing this is all positive for the fire service," Inks said.
The truck's European appearance reflects where it was built. Rosenbauer's home base in Austria, where the prototype was designed and manufactured.
But once full production begins in the coming year, manufacturing will shift to Rosenbauer's factory north of the Twin Cities.
"Probably after the first 10 to 15 that are sold here in the U.S. we are going to move production to Wyoming, Minnesota," Harris said.
Five of the vehicles are already on order by fire departments in the U.S., so plans are underway for the Wyoming plant to hire another 80 workers.
Anticipated price tag for the rig is in the neighborhood of $1 million. While more than conventional trucks, it boasts lower operation and maintenance costs.
