Menlo Park Shows Off World's First All-Electric Fire Engine

MENLO PARK, CA — Firefighters in Menlo Park have a new addition to their fleet that befits their Silicon Valley location: the world's first all-electric fire engine, which was unveiled Wednesday to members of the media by the Menlo Park Fire Protection District.

The electric vehicle is more environmentally responsible than a traditional, carbon-emitting firetruck, Chief Harold Schapelhouman explained in a news release. It also has fewer moving parts, reducing the need for constant maintenance that can hamper response times, Schapelhouman said.

"An all-electric Fire Engine is both environmentally and socially responsible because of the potential impacts on world-wide climate change and its associated challenges that we are directly dealing with here in California, like wild fires, sea rise and flooding," Schapelhouman said in the release.

The black and yellow vehicle was made by the Austrian company Rosenbauer, CBS reported. Menlo Park plans to add one to its fleet by the end of 2021, at a cost of $1.2 million.

The engine's battery lasts about eight hours, and has a backup battery fueled by a diesel generator. But battery life shouldn't be an issue, Chief Schapelhouman claimed, since most fire calls last less than 30 minutes.