Minnesota's first all-electric fire engine is now in service in St. Paul.
And Mayor Melvin Carter says taking the initial ride in the rig is one of the coolest things he's done while in office.
"We are officially putting Minnesota's first electric fire rig into service," said Carter.
With that, the mayor jumped into the passenger seat and with Fire Chief Butch Inks at the wheel, Engine #7 rolled out of Station One on West Seventh Street.
Not only does the engine run silent, there are no diesel fumes that would linger in the fire station, eliminating a potential health risk.
"It's on. If one of our diesel rigs was on right now, we wouldn't be able to have this conversation," said Mayor Carter. "We wouldn't be able to hear each other talk. And that's not just a matter of press conferences, that's a matter of communicating on site. That's a matter of protecting our firefighter's hearing."
This new fire engine is one of 60 fully electric fire trucks in service worldwide. Roseville and Superior, Wisconsin have their trucks on order.
These new electric trucks come at a steep price though. The fire department and city are on the hook for $1.8 million for the fancy new rig. A new gas engine runs between $800,000 and $1 million. The department estimates a savings of about $25,000 a year in fuel costs too.
The fully electric fire engine does have a backup feature however. There is a 33-gallon diesel fuel tank which can be used to recharge the batteries.
Because the truck is smaller, without the need for a massive engine, it is more maneuverable on tight city streets without sacrificing the power needed to pump water and do all the things the fire department needs.
