Victoria’s first electric fire truck arrived at its new home at the Victoria Fire Department Headquarters on Friday, marking a “historic moment” for the department, according to Vic Fire Chief Dan Atkinson.
The $1.7 million vehicle is “state-of-the-art” and versatile, with a design that can be updated and customized depending on future needs.
The city says the Rosenbauer RTX electric fire truck is expected to run 95 per cent of its calls in a fully electric mode, though it’s also equipped with a diesel engine that will automatically kick in if battery levels drop below 20 per cent.
The municipality says the new fire truck is part of the city’s plan to electrify 80 per cent of all its work vehicles by 2040.
“Adding this electric emergency response vehicle to the fleet marks a historic moment and start of a new era for Western Canada’s oldest fire department,” said Atkinson in a statement.
“Our fire department is proud to be a leader amongst Canadian municipalities with one of the country’s first electric fire trucks,” said the fire chief.
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The electric fire truck is expected to reduce emissions by roughly 20 tonnes per year, and will enter service this summer after all staff members have completed hands-on training with the new vehicle.
The city paid for two thirds of the cost of the $1.7 million vehicle, while the province covered the remaining 33 per cent.
Last year, the city said that price tag was “in line” with the cost of a regular fire truck, once the province had pitched in.
The electric fire truck will be stationed at the city’s new $35.9 million fire hall at 1025 Johnson St., which opened in April 2023.
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Adam Chan
