The New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) is currently testing a Volvo FM Electric semi-truck as part of its efforts to assess the viability of low- and zero-emission vehicles in its emergency vehicle fleet.
The truck recently completed a 550-kilometer route from the RFS logistics headquarters in Glendenning, New South Wales, to Albury, towing a water tanker, and was displayed at the NSW RFS Championships in Thurgoona. The vehicle’s performance is being evaluated for potential future use in the agency’s operations.
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“This drive presented a great opportunity for us to touch, feel, and experience an electric prime mover on public roads,” said Inspector Brendan Doyle, RFS Logistics Manager. He emphasized that the test drive allows the agency to consider the truck’s potential role in its logistics fleet moving forward.
RFS Logistics & Transport Supervisor Peter Duff noted the ease of operation, stating, “The driving experience was sensational. One of the key takeaways for me was that you could take anyone familiar with an existing Volvo truck, and they’d be able to drive this without additional training at all.”
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The truck recorded an average speed of 88.7 km/h and consumed 1.24 kWh per kilometer during the trip. This energy consumption figure is similar to that of the Tesla Semi, which is reported to use approximately 2 kWh per mile, according to Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The total charging time required for the trip, which took 6 hours and 15 minutes, was under two hours at stops in Goulburn and Tarcutta.