The Rosenbauer Panther 6x6 is the electric fire truck for airport emergencies

We will soon begin to see several emergency vehicles that run on electric motors. This drive system is complicated to use because battery capacity must be monitored at all times to keep it fully efficient. In this case, however, it is a vehicle with a very specific purpose that can fulfil its function completely, since it has a very defined operating range.

It is a fire truck for controlling airport emergencies and is called the Rosenbauer Panther 6×6. It is the fully electric version of the same vehicle that uses a diesel engine and is deployed at several European airports. It is of Austrian origin, and the company that manufactures it assures that it is capable of carrying out its task just like the diesel variant.

It is based on the latest generation of this model, launched in 2022, and its appearance is very similar to the diesel version, but with slight differences from the other model. Among them, new LED light clusters stand out, offering greater visibility in low-visibility conditions.

The firefighting system is the same as that found in the diesel version: very efficient, and consisting of a pump, foam proportioner and turret. Its tanks can carry 12,000 litres of water, 1,450 litres of foam and 250 kg of dry chemical extinguishing powder.

Motorisation and battery

The Rosenbauer Panther 6×6 uses four electric motors that deliver a power output of 980 CV. This power can be raised to 1,200 CV when using boost mode. With these motors it can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 19.7 seconds, a remarkable figure given its weight and size.

With a full load, the top speed of this emergency vehicle can reach 75 km/h. It is a considerable speed, but it should be remembered that this is a vehicle designed to be deployed at an airport, so it does not need to cover long journeys.

The battery has a capacity of 256 kWh, which will allow it to make the short trip of a few minutes to the scene of the emergency, operate the firefighting system and return to base without problems. The company assures that tests have shown this vehicle is capable of carrying out several services on a single charge, although it has not specified the total range offered by this battery.

The battery’s charging capacity is up to 300 kW. At this rate, it could reach its maximum in just 45 minutes, so it would be ready for service in less than an hour. Even so, and to avoid problems, it has a diesel generator that would provide emergency power if needed.

The first units will be delivered in 2025, although the final price has not been revealed for this emergency truck intended for airports.

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