Posted on Tuesday, Jun. 8, 2021 at 6:33 pm

Fire Station 8 is proud to welcome the Madison Fire Department’s newest fire apparatus, one that ushers in a revolutionary new era in the fire service: The all-electric Volterra pumper.

Now in service as “Engine 8” on the east side, this zero-emissions electric fire truck is the first of its kind in service in North America. It’s housed at the City’s busiest fire station, located on Lien Road, which is also home to Tower-Ladder 8, Medic 8, and the Heavy Urban Rescue Team.

The engine features a 155-kilowatt-hour battery pack designed to sustain the rig on all fire and EMS calls without compromising power, speed, or pumping operations. Should the demand on the battery exceed its supply on sustained, hours-long fire scenes, a diesel engine is available to provide back-up support.

The rig was placed into service on May 21, 2021 and has already responded to over 200 calls. It’s the 61st electric vehicle to enter the City of Madison’s fleet, supporting an ambitious goal to reach 100% renewable energy and zero net carbon emissions by 2030.

“The City of Madison is committed to many sustainability initiatives, allowing us to meet our needs without compromising those of future generations,” said Chief Davis. “Pierce’s Volterra electric pumper allows us to keep an environmentally-conscious focus on reducing emissions while maintaining our traditional pumper configuration without impacting our operational procedures.”

Learn more about the Volterra electric pumper.

Watch our news conference featuring Pierce Manufacturing, MGE, City of Madison Fleet Services, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, and Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers.