Volvo Penta presents the first electric powertrain it has developed for Rosenbauer, a German manufacturer of fire engines. The powertrain is intended for a new concept for a fire truck called 'Revolutionary Technology' or 'Concept Fire Truck' (CFT). The CFT will soon be tested in Amsterdam, among other places.
Rosenbauer is a long-time Volvo Penta customer; the company has been using Volvo's D16 engines for the Rosenbauer PANTHER ARFF since 2012. The parties joined forces in early 2019 to develop an electric powertrain for the CFT and an industrialised version of this vehicle.
Overcoming challenges
The CFT was first presented by Rosenbauer in 2016. With the concept vehicle, the manufacturer aims to respond to extensive trends, such as global climate change, demographics and urbanisation. These trends bring challenges for fire brigades, which Rosenbauer aims to answer with the CFT.
By betting on electric driving, the parties say they therefore want to revolutionise the market for fire engines. This includes eliminating emissions and reducing the vehicles' noise production. However, the parties also point to other advantages that an electric fire truck brings. These include a larger load volume, more compact dimensions and greater mobility. At the same time, fire brigades save on fuel.
High speed, rapid acceleration and mobility
"Firefighters responding to a call need a vehicle that can reach high speeds, accelerate quickly, brake hard and be mobile. The RT's electric powertrain combined with an independent suspension and hydropneumatic chassis provides a high standard of safety and good ride quality," the parties write in a press release.
Each axle of the CFT is driven by its own electric motor. Despite the vehicle basically running fully electric, a diesel engine is also present. The parties report that the on-board battery pack provides enough energy for most jobs. If the battery does run down before the fire engine can be recharged, the diesel engine can be deployed to continue working.
Tested in practice
The CFT will be tested by Rosenbauer and Volvo Penta in the coming period. Once this test is completed, the electric fire engine will be tested in real-life conditions by fire brigades in Amsterdam, Berlin and Dubai later this year.
Over time, Rosenbauer expects the demand for electric fire engines to grow. For instance, the company expects demand for 700 to 800 such vehicles in Europe by 2025. Globally, demand is expected to reach around 3,200 vehicles by 2030.
Electric KLF-L
Incidentally, the CFT is not Rosenbauer’s first electric fire engine. Earlier, in early 2018, Rosenbauer developed another electric fire engine in collaboration with the German companies Linz and Kreisel Electric. This is the KLF-L, based on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. This vehicle is fitted with a 120 kWh electric motor and a battery that can be charged to 90 per cent in one hour and twenty minutes using a fast charger. The vehicle’s range on a full battery – and fully manned by firefighters – is around 160 kilometres.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
