The City of Victoria hopes to be one of the first cities in Canada to put an electric fire engine into service.
Victoria is to take delivery of a $1.7-million Rosenbauer Revolutionary Technology pumper fire engine, currently under construction, before the end of this year, with the expectation it will be in service in 2024.
The electric vehicle will be stationed at the fire department’s headquarters on Johnson Street, where it will have a dedicated 25-kilowatt direct current fast charger.
The new fire truck will have a battery range of 100 kilometres and is equipped with an onboard diesel range extender, which automatically engages if the charge on the batteries falls below 20 per cent. That allows the fire engine to operate continuously without limitations when responding to emergencies.
“This fire engine is an important step in making the switch to zero-emission vehicles,” Mayor Marianne Alto said in a statement. “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.”
Vancouver and Brampton, Ont., have also ordered Rosenbauer Revolutionary Technology electric engines.
Victoria intends to have 80 per cent of its municipal fleet electrified or renewably powered by 2040. The city expects to add 20 electric vehicles this year, including 10 work vans that will go into service early this fall.
The province will cover one third of the cost of the new electric fire engine.
