Madison shows off its groundbreaking electric fire truck

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - The Madison Fire Dept. is helping lead firefighters across the country into a new era, one that does not rely on trips to the gas station. On Tuesday, the department debuted its first electric fire truck, the Pierce Volterra zero-emissions pumper.

Madison Fire Chief Steven Davis explained the new vehicle will provide all of the pumping power they need to protect the city now, without pumping out the emissions that contribute to climate change.

“We are eager to lead change by responsibly supporting our environment together with achieving our critical daily missions,” he continued.

Its maker, Pierce Manufacturing, claimed the 21-ton vehicle was not just the first one in the United States, but it was also the first one in North America. The new truck seats six and carries a thousand feet of 5″ hoses and another 500 feet of 2.5″ hosing. It can carry 500 gallons of water and houses a pump that shoot out 1,500 gallons per minute.

The truck is powered by a 155 kW hour battery pack, Pierce says will meet the city’s daily duty cycle. For comparison, Electrek reports the biggest battery available for a Tesla Model 3 uses an 82 kWh pack.

“Pierce’s Volterra electric pumper allows us to keep an environmentally-conscious focus on reducing emissions while maintaining our traditional pumper configuration without impacting our operational procedures,” Davis said.

The new truck will be positioned at Madison’s fire station 8, which Pierce points out is the city’s busiest one.

According to the company, it teamed with Oshkosh Airport Products and Frontline Communications, to develop the Volterra, explaining that municipalities and airports have made green initiatives a top priority as they look to obtain new equipment and vehicles. All three companies are part of Oshkosh Corporation’s Fire & Emergency segment.

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