Electrified Firefighting: Rosenbauer's vision

What do we at Rosenbauer mean by “electrified firefighting”?

“Electrified Firefighting” serves as our umbrella term for applications in the context of e-mobility.

Electrified firefighting as an umbrella term

“E-mobility“ – “Electromobility” describes in general terms the geographical mobility of people and goods in space with the help of electric drives. E-mobility is considered THE central building block of a sustainable and climate-friendly transport system based on renewable energies. As the market leader, we see it as our responsibility to offer end-to-end e-mobility solutions. In this way, we are making our contribution to sustainability in mobility.

With us, an electric drive (e-drive) always does its work, regardless of the original energy source. Mobile e-drive solutions must be supplied with buffered power. Battery storage takes on this function. For us, battery-powered electric drive concepts are THE technology of the future in the firefighting sector. That is why “e-mobility” is also synonymous with “alternative drive concepts” for us.

Original energy source, battery and e-drive

Why is Rosenbauer involved with “E-Mobility”?

We are making our responsible contribution to reducing emissions with a focus on maximum functionality and reliability with product and process design based on e-mobility technologies. In addition, the e-drive is the most efficient drive solution. We therefore design the most effective and also future-proof system solutions for the firefighting sector.

Regardless of the energy supply, the e-drive is THE central element of a highly efficient, sustainable, and climate-friendly mobility solution based on renewable energies. E-drive solutions will continue to establish themselves and will also remain in the future. Even though energy provision will continue to evolve, hybrid technologies will emerge, but they will rely on an e-drive architecture – the advantages simply outweigh the disadvantages. As things stand today, battery-based technology is the right way to provide energy, as it is currently proven to be the most efficient. In the coming years, intensive research and further development will also bring other energy systems (hydrogen, e-fuel, …) into consideration for powering the e-motors.

Efficiency of selected drive technologies (as of July 2022)

In keeping with our Rosenbauer tradition, we always think through all the arguments comprehensively and look for the best solution for our partners, for the fire departments, and other emergency organizations. All e-Mobility solutions from Rosenbauer have the electric drive at the core of their design. All these solutions emit less noise and CO2, deliver excellent performance data and are easy to operate.

Anticipated: the RT (Revolutionary Technology) is more than e-mobility. With the RT, a revolutionary new concept was implemented that, in addition to the above-mentioned advantages of e-mobility, also explores other megatrends of our time and thus creates real added value. Only e-mobility made it technically possible to realize this comprehensive concept – the time was simply right.

History and present of e-mobility at Rosenbauer

Municipal E-Lineup at Interschutz 2022

Already today – in July 2022 – we as the Rosenbauer Group can offer our customers a range of mature e-products, or are close to doing so:

RT _ the all-electric Revolutionary Technology
AT electric _ a fully-electric Advanced Technology
GW-L electric _ a fully electric logistics equipment truck
L32A-XS electric _ an all-electric aerial ladder

Municipal E-Lineup from Rosenbauer at Interschutz 2022 in Hanover
(AT electric, L32A-XS electric, GW-L electric, RT)

The roots

To understand the present and draw the right conclusions for the future, it is necessary to know the past. From over 150 years of corporate history, we at Rosenbauer have always accompanied the cooperative discussion of the needs of fire departments and emergency response organizations and have always responsibly fulfilled our partnership brief with the fire services to be THE technology and solution provider. We see ourselves continuing to be responsible for this remit today and in the future.

In 2011, the first plans for our electrically powered CFT (Concept Fire Truck) began, which has now matured into RT (Revolutionary Technology) as a series product.

The RT and its historic roots

At Rosenbauer, we think one (or more) steps ahead from the very beginning and consider solutions systemically and holistically. Influencing factors such as trends, technological developments, social and economic changes play a significant role in influencing development.

Firefighting trendmap 4.1 (as of July 2022)

Expertise leader

Emergency response organizations are also confronted with large-scale incidents and must have solutions at hand that can withstand continuous duty. Thanks to our comprehensive systems thinking, we also have solutions for this. Especially for the scenarios mentioned, chemical energy storage systems (diesel, petrol, e-fuel, H2, …) make sense today in addition to electric battery storage. Technically speaking, such a system is an “Electric Back-Up Generator.” The frequency of these major incidents depends heavily on the fire service organization and the area of operation. With the Berlin municipal fire department, experience values could be gathered for the “big city” setting. Within 13 months, with approx. 1,400 call-outs, approx. 90 % of all operations could be handled purely electrically and only in 10 % of the cases was it necessary to connect the back-up .

Rosenbauer is more than just a technology leader: Rosenbauer is an expertise leader in the field of “electrified firefighting”. The needs of the customers and the functionality of the products are in the foreground. Technology serves as a vehicle that enables the challenges of the future to be met.

The contribution of e-mobility to sustainability

E-mobility supports sustainable living and business in general, but especially in the following areas:

E-mobility’s contribution to sustainability

Society

Our planet is undergoing climate change. All of us as a society are responsible for our future. For us, it is a matter of course to deal holistically with the future and specifically with this topic.
From 2030 onwards, there will hardly be any conventionally powered chassis left to buy from the chassis OEMs. OEMs will have to standardize more, which will inevitably lead to further drastic compromises for emergency response vehicles (e.g. equipment full height lockers and frame areas). As a result of this development, there will have to be a rethink on alternative vehicle use and thus in the utilization strategies of the fire services. Rosenbauer supports this and is already a trailblazer and pioneer.
E-mobility products also offer the fundamental possibility of supplying other electrical infrastructure with energy (vehicle-to-grid, grid replication in operation). In this way, emergency response organizations can support society and build up partial (supply) security.

People and the environment

Electric drives have no soot particle emissions and are locally emission-free in pure battery-electric operation.
Another emission factor that is particularly significant for use is noise. Electric drives are quiet and do not burden the environment with additional noise. In action, the crew is thus more attentive, cognitively more agile and can react more quickly and adequately.
Electrical energy is the only form of energy that can also be generated autonomously. Here we are thinking in the direction of holistic operations centers including photovoltaics (PV) and bi-directional energy management.

Economy

With electric motors, there are comparatively few moving parts. This results in less vibration during operation, making them quieter and requiring less maintenance. This results in a long service life, high availability of components and longer service intervals.
Electric motors are simpler, less complex, more compact and less expensive than conventional motors.
Electric drives are economical. The electric motor opens up the possibility of converting kinetic energy into electrical energy when braking the vehicle, which is lost in the form of heat in conventional vehicle concepts.
Electrical energy storage systems can be recycled to a large extent and thus cause only minor raw material losses, which is not the case when fossil fuels are burnt. Through recycling, raw materials remain in circulation and can be reused in new products.

Technology

The E-drive is the most efficient and robust drive, with low maintenance – there is no “better” drive concept.
Electric drives can be finely tuned and individually controlled. Controlled power delivery makes for smooth driving and enables starting with maximum torque even on steep inclines. With an electrically-powered vehicle “… you win the race from every traffic light.”
Due to the almost threefold efficiency of electric motors compared to diesel engines, significantly less heat loss is produced, which no longer has to be dissipated into the vehicle environment.

What are the advantages for customers who purchase an e-vehicle (today)?

The purchase of municipal vehicles is largely funded by the public purse. Policymakers are increasingly stipulating that these public funds should be invested in environmentally friendly technologies. This is becoming an increasingly important criterion for (public) investments in municipalities, also because of the role model effect. The same applies for airports. International airports have the goal of becoming CO2-neutral on the ground.
Fighting vehicles are only procured every 20-30 years. In 20-30 years it will be predominantly e-vehicles. An investment in e-mobility is an investment in the future.

All Rosenbauer e-vehicles have the following in common:

Low CO2 emissions
Additional safety and effectiveness of the emergency crews due to less noise emission
Excellent performance in terms of driving dynamics
Operation-ready architecture
Simple operation

What will the future bring?

Although looking into the future in general, but especially in such a dynamic environment as e-mobility, is fraught with great uncertainty and developments are difficult to predict, we at Rosenbauer have nevertheless set cornerstones that we will pursue with full dedication and conviction:

For us, battery-powered electric drive concepts are THE definitive technology of the future in the firefighting sector.
Energy content and ecological storage media will continue to develop rapidly, so that limited range and operating time of the extinguishing agent pump in E operation will no longer be an issue in the future.
We continue to develop our own customized solutions and will also build on serial OEM chassis.
We are expertise leaders, have a clear vision of the future, pursue a clear strategy and offer comprehensive process, product and system solutions.

Relevant links

On the subject of “Electrified Firefighting”, you can also watch a live presentation that was recorded at Interschutz 2022 in Hanover (the video is unfortunately only available in German):