Volvo Penta has commenced production of bespoke electric drivelines for leading fire service vehicle manufacturer Rosenbauer’s pioneering fire truck, named “Revolutionary Technology” (RT)
Giorgio Paris, president of Volvo Penta Industrial, said, “We announced our emob partnership with Rosenbauer in 2019, and we have gone from concept to start of production in record time. This is a milestone in our electrification journey. We see a growing demand for electric solutions in the market today and – through collaboration and pilot projects, such as this one – we aim to meet this demand and the expectations of the future.”
Adapting & advancing
Due to the required compact dimensions of a city fire truck, Volvo Penta created a new Active Cooling Unit (ACU). This component was developed in part collaboration with Rosenbauer. The new ACU draws on a 600V system – instead of the conventional 24V – this extra power allows Volvo Penta to not only cool the batteries but also offer cooling capacity to the Rosenbauer vehicle. This is one way Volvo Penta has optimised the design and adapted the complete electric driveline system for a specific vehicle, considering the exact application, usage, climate, and environment it will operate in.
Three Rosenbauer test firetrucks – powered by Volvo Penta electric drivelines – have already successfully been delivered to Berlin, Amsterdam, and Dubai. So far, the crews have been amazed at the RT’s battery capacity and the many other advantages of not having a large diesel engine – such as increase crew cabin space and more side panel storage.
The first electric drivelines have entered the production stage at the Volvo Penta Vara plant in Sweden. Here the ACU is manufactured, and the system is kitted – loaded with software and packed together – to make installation as straightforward as possible for the customer.
“When it comes to developing new technologies, like electromobility, we see our customers as our biggest asset. We have developed strong working relationships with our customers over many years, which is key in the transformation towards more sustainable and new technology solutions. By working closely on different applications and in an array of sectors we can develop solutions – in a stepwise approach – that are reliable, safe, and create value, with the aim to bring an electro mobility platform to our customers,” says Paris.
Legislation and customer’s changing moral principles are driving a transition to more sustainable products. Volvo Penta has set firm climate commitments to support its customers in this transition. This switch from diesel-based technology to electrification is a key element in Volvo Penta’s transformation, alongside other new technological advancements.
