A new hybrid electric concept fire truck is on tour across the UK, demonstrating to fire and rescue services.
Surrey is the first Fire & Rescue Service to receive the coveted new electric concept fire truck, the CFT, which has been developed by Rosenbauer UK as part of Rosenbauer’s intense development of electric fire appliance technology.
Rosenbauer’s Concept Fire Truck has barely any exhaust emissions and boasts a range of other innovative features. It can provide up to 20 minutes of driving to an incident, 20 minutes of pumping with electric power and 20 minutes of returning to the station and to make sure it keeps going, it has a petrol, diesel or eventually a hydrogen engine.
Rosenbauer UK’s Managing Director Oliver North said “The CFT represents a clear vision of proving ourselves as a strategic asset to the UK Fire and Rescue Service. The week-long UK-wide tour will serve more as a taster as to what the concept represents, and to gain valuable feedback from our professional front line firefighters.”
“The CFT is not merely an electric version of what is available now, but more-so utilises the benefits of electric technology to the advantage of the frontline fire fighter, and ultimately, the public. Only an increase in firefighter safety, driving performance, pump performance and overall appliance efficiency will suffice to prove it to be a worthwhile development for Rosenbauer, as a global leader in firefighting technology.”
The tour of the CFT began at Surrey Fire & Rescue Service, which was based at Reigate HQ since Thursday 29th November to allow firefighters put the new engine to the test while on the run.
Firefighters have seen the vehicle being demonstrated and have tried out its functions themselves, including crewing the truck alongside Rosenbauer engineers. Neighboring fire services in London, Hampshire, Kent, West Sussex, East Sussex and Berkshire have also been invited by Surrey FRS to view the new truck.
Denise Turner-Stewart, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Services, said: “I’m delighted to be welcoming the Concept Fire Truck to Surrey so firefighters can see first-hand how advances in technology could benefit our service and county in future. Not only does the vehicle have the potential to be safer for firefighters and better for the environment, it would also be cheaper to run, offering the prospect of savings in the long run.”
“We aim to be at the forefront of technology when it comes to vehicles for our firefighters who will be giving their feedback to help in the development of the truck. With cleaner air a key priority for us as a county council, we’re pleased to be playing a part in this drive towards greener transport.”
Rosenbauer says the new concept fire truck is designed to meet the needs of firefighters while fire services say the key thing is reliability.
Surrey Fire & Rescue Service said “This is the first concept vehicle to be showcased to us, which actually says what the future is and how can we limit that environmental risk. Reliability, the use of technology, new design, health and safety requirements is everything we need to see from this.”
This week, Surrey FRS took delivery of four new Rosenbauer bodied Scania P360 appliances. The new appliances are being allocated to fire stations in Camberley, Fordbridge, Leatherhead and Salfords.
Berlin Fire Service are the first to place an order for this new CFT, which is due on the road by the end of next year. Rosenbauer Deutschland and the Berlin Fire Department confirm innovation partnership.
“For our ‘Concept Fire Truck’, the innovation partnership with the Berlin Fire Department represents an important milestone on the way to series production readiness,” explains Dieter Siegel, CEO of Rosenbauer International. “In this way, we can create an optimised pre-production vehicle that has truly been put through extensive testing, while at the same time increasing our understanding of the ideal way to integrate it into actual operation. I am pleased that the Berlin Fire Department, which has a rich tradition, is assuming the role of incubator here, and at the same time will also be one of the first practical users of the ‘fire engine of the future’.”
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