The City of Victoria has become one of the first Canadian cities to attain an electric fire engine to add to its fleet of fire trucks.
The fire engine is a ‘pumper fire engine’ made by Rosenbauer Revolutionary Technology (RTX), the now international company which started in Austria circa 1866.
According to the city, the fire engine is being assembled and should be in use by next year.
“This fire engine is an important step in making the switch to zero emission vehicles,” said Mayor Marianne Alto.
“As we continue to implement the City’s Green Fleet Plan, we are seizing opportunities like this to electrify and enhance our fleet, reducing our corporate greenhouse gas emissions.”
Once in town, the new fire engine will be primarily stationed at the new Victoria Fire Department headquarters and public safety building on Johnson Street. At this station, a dedicated fast-charging station has been planned for and will be installed to accommodate the electric engine.
With its battery, the electric fire engine will have a range of around 100 kilometres and will be equipped with a diesel range extender, just in case it needs a boost in the ground it covers while in use.
The RTX engine is in use in two other Canadian cities, Vancouver and Brampton, Ontario. They are also in use in cities worldwide like Los Angeles, Berlin, Vienna, Basel and even Dubai.
“While honouring our Fire Department’s rich history, we also recognize the urgent need to address climate change and reduce our carbon footprint,” said Fire Chief Daniel Atkinson.
“The advanced capabilities of the electric fire engine will not only help to reduce emissions, but also enhance our ability to respond to emergencies. We are excited to embrace this cutting-edge technology, ensuring that we continue to provide the highest level of service to the residents of Victoria while demonstrating our commitment to climate leadership.”
This is just the first step in Victoria’s plan to electrify their city vehicle fleet. By the year 2040, the city wants 80% of its engines to be electric.
In addition to this fire engine, the city anticipates welcoming 20 more electric vehicles into their fleet this year alone. Ten of those will be work vans and just recently, a Ford Lightning truck and two Chevrolet Bolts joined the fleet.
The new fire engine cost the city approximately $1,700,000. Because of partial provincial funding, the actual cost of the new engine was in-line with that of a normal fire engine.
