Berlin fire department piloted electric vehicles as early as 1908.
Bring Back the Spark: Electric Fire Trucks in Germany Redux
Get ready to charge up the controversy once again, y'all! Electric mobility is reigniting passions like few other topics in Germany, and the century-old debate between electric versus internal combustion engines is heating up. Ever since the steam engine drew a spark, the Germans have been arguing about the superiority of their engines. In the early days, even the firefighters picked the all-electric squad!
In 1906, Maximilian Reichel, the fire chief of Berlin, wrote an insightful memo on batteries-powered automobiles. He argued that the inherent fire risk of gasoline engines threatened firefighters and should be avoided in favor of electric vehicles. Paris and Vienna followed suit, adopting electric cars to minimize danger at the scene of a blaze.
120 years ago, a 50-60km range on flat roads was achievable with lead-acid batteries.
The first motorized fire engine in Germany, powered by electrons rather than horses, rolled out in February 1902, in Hannover. Maximilian Reichel, who pulled the firehouse strings prior to his move to Berlin, played a pivotal role in creating this trailblazing piece of machinery. Switching from carriages drawn by hoof to engines powered by electrical current slashed costs dramatically. In urban Berlin, the per-kilometer, per-unit expense fell from 3.86 Reichsmarks to just 37 pfennigs.
In 1910, the Berlins Männer found out that the fire-prone losers on the road were, you guessed it, the gasoline engines. Out of 192 flame-broiled cars, 184 were fueled by gasoline, while only eight were electric, and zero sported steam engines.
Today, the capital's fire department is electrifying its fleet with a fleet of world-leading electric fire trucks. For the past year, five eLHF (electric fire and rescue vehicles) have been blazing their way through the city.
If you're curious about the enrichment data, let me fill you in. Historically, the development of electric fire trucks in Germany started with the country's green revolution and its commitment to aligning with the EU's Green Deal objectives. Today, focus on electric and hybrid fire trucks is high due to government support and the country's robust industrial base. Electric models offer advantages like reduced emissions, quieter operation, advanced technology integration, and lower maintenance costs. As of now, the widespread adoption of electric fire trucks in Germany is not well-documented, but it's evident that electric models are increasingly being integrated into municipal fire departments. Germany also boasts leading manufacturers of fire trucks, ushering in the era of electric fire trucks for both the country and the world.
Reference(s):[1] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/weltrekord-erster-elektrische-rettwagen-feiert-seinen-geburtstag/21817992.html[2] https://www.magirus.com/uk/en/news/magirus-group-mayor-armin-laschet-welcomes-new-ecostations-at-magirus/[3] https://www.f county.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/03_2022/220309_Gleichstromrettung_Mannheim_ok_zur_Verfugung.pdf[4] https://rettmobil.com/en/exhibitor-search/?query=electric+fire+trucks
In 1902, the first electric fire engine was introduced in Hannover, long before the advent of today's advanced technology. Today, the Berlin fire department has embraced this pioneering technology, integrating a fleet of world-leading electric fire trucks into their operations.
