Volvo Penta is starting production of e-driveline for electric fire trucks

The world is getting used to electric trucks but what about electric fire trucks? Volvo Penta is actually working on an electric drive train for Rosenbauer’s new fire truck.

The fire truck that will come out the collaboration between the two auto companies will be named Revolutionary Technology. It will use a total of four electric motors to be fully equipped. Two will function for propulsion, while the third one will serve as a range extender and the fourth one will power auxiliary applications. All four electric machines will be able to run simultaneously.

Volvo Penta had to design an active cooling unit that will fit into the compact body of city truck. It takes 600 V and also provide cooling to the vehicle itself. Due to being electric, the fire truck has more crew cabin space and more side panel storage. Volvo adapted the technology from its trucks and buses to build a new vehicle architecture for the fire truck. It has a six-cylinder 200 kW diesel engine as backup.

image source: Volvo Penta

The Revolutionary Technology is already putting out fires as three models have been delivered to fire authorities in Amsterdam, Berlin and Dubai for testing. Volvo Penta continues to get ready for production at its Vara plant in Sweden.

Specs include 50 kWh battery pack as standard and 100 kWh optional, 2.35 m width and 7.30 m lenght with a wheelbase of 3,800 m, and 2.90 m height. It can take a fast charger up 150 kW and get 50 percent to 80 percent battery under an hour. Total weight is 18 tons.

Giorgio Paris, President of Volvo Penta Industrial, said: “ “We announced our partnership with Rosenbauer in 2019, and we have gone from concept to start of production in record time. We have developed strong working relationships with our customers over many years, which is key in the transformation towards more sustainable and new technology solutions. By working closely on different applications and in an array of sectors we can develop solutions that are reliable, safe, and create value, with the aim to bring an electromobility platform to our customers.”