A Pierce® Volterra™ electric pumper is in production and will go into service with the City of Portland Fire and Rescue’s busiest station, Station No. 1 in Spring 2022.

Pierce Manufacturing Inc has announced it has entered into a joint development agreement with the City of Portland, Oregon Fire and Rescue to place a Pierce® Volterra™ zero-emissions pumper into service with the city’s busiest station, Station No. 1 in Spring 2022. This agreement follows the recent introduction of the revolutionary Pierce Volterra platform of electric vehicles for the fire and emergency market and the placement of the first electric fire truck in service in North America with the City of Madison, Wisconsin Fire Department in June 2021.

In 2019, Portland General Electric announced the launch of its Smart Grid Test Bed, a first-of-its- kind project that integrates smart grid technology on a scale never before attempted in the U.S. The project will accelerate the community’s vision for clean energy with new ways to decarbonize the grid. Oregon is one of seven U.S. states to put energy storage procurement targets into place.

Portland Fire and Rescue is led by Fire Chief Sara Boone and is made up of 31 fire stations which serve an area of 151 square miles and a population of over 650,000. Chief Boone considers the addition of Pierce’s Volterra electric pumper a significant contribution to the city’s sustainability efforts.

“In 2016, the city achieved its 2030 Environmental Performance Objective for Fleet when 35- percent of fuel use came from renewable sources,” stated Chief Boone. “Fleet electrification is expected to be a primary driver of carbon emissions reduction from city vehicles, and exploring the role of the Pierce Volterra electric pumper within our fire apparatus fleet is a big step toward reaching our future goals.”

In collaboration with the City of Portland Fire and Rescue, Pierce will continue the development and evaluation process for the Pierce Volterra electric vehicle. As part of this development process, the City of Portland’s terrain, weather, and geographic location will provide valuable exposure and insight to additional operational environments the electric vehicle must withstand.

Portland Fire and Rescue’s Volterra Electric Vehicle Configuration:

• Enforcer™ custom chassis
• Expanded occupant space and visibility
• Seating capacity: 6
• GVWR: 42,000 lb
• TAK-4® Independent Front Suspension
• 1500 GPM single stage pump
• 500 Gallon water tank
• Compartmentation: 150 cu ft plus ladder storage
• Hose capacity: 1000’ of 5” / 850’ of 2.5”
• 155 kW hour battery pack to meet Portland Fire and Rescue’s daily duty cycle

Volterra Electric Vehicle Operation:

• An Oshkosh patented parallel-electric drivetrain featuring an electro-mechanical infinitely variable transmission allows zero-emissions operation when powered by the integrated onboard batteries, and can be coupled to the internal combustion engine to provide continuous and uninterrupted power to the pumping system or drive system
• Exceptional operational range tailored to the fire department’s needs and duty cycle for full- shift operation
• Fire station-based, all-encompassing vehicle charging infrastructure provided by an established nationwide energy supplier offers a thorough, simple, and fast charging solution

“Over the years, we’ve listened to the needs of our customers in communities like the City of Portland who continue to lead the way with their forward-looking environmental and sustainability goals,” said Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president of Fire & Emergency. “As we review all the positive data from our Pierce Volterra electric pumper currently in service in Madison, Wisconsin, we’re confident customers like Portland Fire and Rescue will also obtain the environmental benefits requested without compromising on the operational, safety, and standardization attributes they love about their existing fleet.”