Our Commitment to Electric Mobility
Rosenbauer is convinced that the firefighting vehicle of the future will have an electrified powertrain and that electric mobility will also become established among emergency organizations.
It is one of the most important initiatives in the Group’s long-term “Rosenbauer City 2030” strategy and focuses on a clear goal: Rosenbauer wants to support fire departments on their way to electric mobility. The seller of firefighting equipment will actively drive this transformation out of a sense of responsibility and conviction and, as an innovation leader, will develop state-of-the-art climate-friendly vehicles and provide them in usual quality. Alternative drive technologies will play a key role in this and are therefore a fundamental part of Rosenbauer’s innovation and product strategy, which is based on the following key points:
- The Rosenbauer Group has set itself the goal of offering at least one vehicle with electric drive in every vehicle category by 2023. In 2026, a complete product portfolio of vehicles with electric drives will be available in every sales region.
The three standard vehicles most frequently found in municipal fleets – the tank fire truck, the aerial ladder and the equipment carrier – were already on display at Interschutz, the industry’s leading trade show last year. The prototype of the PANTHER electric was also presented, for which a scalable drive platform has been developed. This year will see the start of the design of small electric fire fighting vehicles, and the first OEM chassis required for this have recently become available. The Rosenbauer COMMANDER, the custom chassis for US firefighting vehicles, will also be electrified. The RT/X1 also built on its own chassis is already available in an NFPA-compliant variant. The Los Angeles Fire Department has been using it since the fall of 2022.
- The in-house developments RT/X and PANTHER electric create the basis for comprehensive expertise in the field of alternative drive systems.
This is one of the major competitive advantages in view of the imminent mobility transition among fire departments: Rosenbauer has been working on alternative drive systems since 2011 and has built up specific expertise on the electric powertrain as part of the development of the Concept Fire Truck, the predecessor to the RT/X. The Group can now use this in all vehicle categories. Targeted qualification programs have also created the appropriate expertise in the workforce for working on high-voltage workstations.
- Rosenbauer controls the entire value chain – regardless of whether it is its own electric chassis or an electrified standard chassis.
Rosenbauer builds electric firefighting vehicles both on its own chassis and on chassis from commercial truck manufacturers. The former are developed in-house, which not only provides the necessary knowledge for system integration of driving and firefighting technology, but also an in-depth understanding of procurement, logistics, and the handling of modern high-voltage components in production.
- Strategic partnerships strengthen Rosenbauer’s position.
A challenge such as the mobility transition for fire departments cannot be met without intensive exchange with partners and customers. This is why Rosenbauer works closely with technology suppliers such as Volvo Penta and Magna in the area of development and relies on cooperation with open-minded innovation partners in the fire departments during the launch phases of these new types of vehicles.
- Comprehensive responsibility for individual topics makes Rosenbauer a competent partner for fire department organizations worldwide in all matters relating to electric mobility.
As part of the mobility transition, fire departments must also address issues of power supply, energy self-sufficiency and disaster safety, and in some cases reassess them. Rosenbauer wants to support them on this path with fail-safe and low-emission firefighting technology – from vehicles to equipment to fleet management. By bundling all the relevant competencies, procurements in this area can be implemented safely and in line with requirements.
Open to new technologies
Rosenbauer is convinced that diesel as the primary energy source for fire departments is a discontinued model. Not that it will not still have its justification for years to come in the event of a disaster, but it is not needed for day-to-day firefighting operations, as experience with the Rosenbauer RT/X in Berlin and Los Angeles has shown. According to the conclusion reached so far by these two innovation partners, 95% of all operations in urban areas can be handled purely electrically. This confirms that the design of the RT/X’s battery capacity is absolutely correct. The same can be expected of the PANTHER electric. Its battery packs are designed for the typical daily routine of an airport fire department.
The Energy Backup System (EBS), which Rosenbauer has developed specifically for its electric vehicles, ensures their continuous operation and suitability for disasters. Currently still powered by diesel, this system could also be converted to other fuels such as e-fuels or hydrogen. A concession to the truck industry, which has only recently begun to electrify its products and is still keeping open the use of hydrogen as a drive energy.
Architecture creates added value
From 2030, half of the vehicles sold in the Rosenbauer Group will be equipped with an alternative powertrain. In-house developments such as the RT/X or the PANTHER electric offer considerable added value compared to vehicles on series chassis because they allow vehicle architecture and operation tailored to the needs of fire departments. This is not the case with OEM chassis, which have to be suitable for a wide variety of applications.
The RT/X municipal tank fire truck in particular sets completely new standards. It not only enables CO2-free emergency use, but is also better for the health of people at the scene, as they are not exposed to the exhaust fumes and noise of a running truck diesel engine, as was previously the case. The zero-noise property of the RT/X also reduces the stress level at the scene. In addition, the new vehicle architecture has made it possible to achieve significant ergonomic improvements. For example, the RT can be lowered almost to ground level, providing barrier- free access and allowing equipment held in the superstructure to be removed from the ground with a safe footing. The integrated driver and crew compartment also supports efficient operational briefings.
Target: Market leadership
Rosenbauer sees battery-powered electric drive concepts as the technology of the future for firefighting vehicles. The company’s early involvement with electromobility and the comprehensive expertise gained in the process, the industry’s first operational electric line-up, the dual strategy with vehicles on its own and OEM chassis, and not least the successful launch of the first electric vehicles on the European, American, and Asian markets underscore the target of being the manufacturer with the world’s highest market share of firefighting vehicles with alternative drive technology in 2030. The RT/X alone is expected to have an installed global base of around 3,200 vehicles with comparable technology by then.
1RT: Revolutionary Technology, fully electric municipal vehicle. RTX: US version of the RT