Canada's first electric fire truck was in service less than a month before it needed repairs
Vancouver's brand-new, $1.8-million fire truck was in service for less than a month before it was sidelined for repairs.
CTV News has learned the all-electric Rosenbauer RTX has a leaky water tank.
Vancouver Fire Rescue Services spokesperson Matthew Trudeau confirms the repair work involves the vehicle’s water tank, but none of the electrical or battery systems, and the cost of the work is covered by the manufacturer, Rosenbauer.
Trudeau says the vehicle was in service from Dec. 4, 2023, to Jan. 2, 2024, and has been out of service ever since.
"As brand new apparatus enter the VFRS fleet, it is routine and expected that mechanical issues come up," Trudeau says in an email.
"We quickly work with manufacturers to resolve them and improve their response capability."
A water leak also sidelined North America’s first Rosenbauer RTX truck, which was bought by the Los Angeles Fire Department in May 2022.
According to a statement from the Rosenbauer Group posted by LAFD, the issue was discovered during testing, and “water tank issues are not uncommon and may happen due to a variety of reasons.”
Vancouver’s all-electric vehicle was unveiled Dec. 4, with VFRS Chief Karen Fry referring to it as a “reinvention of the fire truck.”
The department said the truck is smaller and more maneuverable than a traditional truck, and can go 100 kilometres on a single charge.
At a cost of $1.8 million, it’s $300,000 to $500,000 more than a new diesel engine, but Fry said there are huge environmental and health benefits to an electric truck, as diesel fumes are a known carcinogen.
Trudeau did not say when the truck will return to service.
"We look forward to having the truck back in service as soon as possible," he says in his email.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
World's record-breaking hot temperature streak stretches through April
The world just experienced its hottest April on record, extending an 11-month streak in which every month set a temperature record, the European Union's climate change monitoring service said on Wednesday.
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Trial begins for Winnipeg serial killer who claims he was mentally ill
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.