THE ACT has bought Australia’s first electric fire truck, following the ACT Emergency Services Agency signing an agreement with American manufacturer Rosenbauer to deliver a plug-in hybrid electric fire truck.

The government press release made no mention of the cost of the truck, but did confirm it will be here next year.  The Los Angeles fire department paid $US1.2 million ($1.65 million) for one early last year.

The manufacturers say the hybrid vehicle features an electric drive train from Volvo Penta. The drive power of both electric motors is up to 350 kW, plus a diesel-powered range extender from BMW and high-voltage batteries with a total of 100 kWh available capacity. With one electric motor per axle, the vehicle has four-wheel drive. The compact electric motors have also been used to provide steering on both axles, making the it particularly agile for its size. The hybrid firetruck chassis can be adjusted so that the ground clearance can be set at three levels. In the case of the fire-extinguishing technology, the pumps are driven either mechanically by the diesel motor or electrically by a generator.  It has a 2000-litre water tank and 200 litres of foam concentrate.

Meantime, the  ACT United Firefighters Union has welcomed the purchase.

Secretary Greg McConville said the new firefighting appliance included many features that would enhance firefighter operational capability and safety.

“It incorporates highly advanced communications and monitoring systems, including potential integration with drone technology, which will allow firefighters to gather important intelligence on the incident prior to arriving on scene,” he said.

“Additionally, it includes design features that could allow the appliance to act in the role of a forward command vehicle, better co-ordinating resources to deliver a more effective emergency response.”