Recently, Rosenbauer has built the first RTX for the North American firefighting market. The vehicle is destined for the Los Angeles City Fire Department and was developed jointly with the LAFD, with the "core DNA" being identical to the RT according to the European standard, while the technical design follows the regulations of the American NFPA (National Fire Protection Agency) is equivalent to.
The RTX contains the technological know-how of ten years of development work in the Rosenbauer Group. The result is more than an "electrified fire engine"; it is the blueprint for the municipal fire engine of the future: a vehicle from a single source, functional and robust, with highly ergonomic vehicle architecture, an unprecedented level of safety for the crew and an innovative operating concept with comprehensive connectivity. The RTX combines safety, dynamics, and performance, everything that counts in a fire engine into a functional unit.
Unrivaled driving characteristics
Independent wheel suspension and switchable rear-axle steering ensure excellent agility and maneuverability
What particularly distinguishes the RTX is its stable handling and high level of driving safety. It has a low-floor chassis with a core tube frame in which one of the two high-voltage batteries is installed, resulting in a much lower center of gravity than fire engines on truck chassis.
Independent wheel suspension and switchable rear-axle steering ensure excellent agility and maneuverability, the RTX can even be moved in crab steering. The air-sprung chassis allows the driving level to be adjusted to the surface (road and off-road driving, watt mode, operation site mode) and due to the compact dimensions (L x W = approx. 8.25 x 2.35 m), the vehicle can be maneuvered more easily through narrow alleys and be piloted in heavy traffic.
Energetic powerhouse
The driving dynamics of the RTX result primarily from the electric drive concept: Two electric motors with an output of 2 x 180 kW (peak) and 2 x 130 kW (continuous) drive all four wheels (permanent all-wheel drive). They are supplied with electricity from two high-voltage batteries with an electrical storage capacity of 132 kWh, which also provides energy for pump operation and other consumers at the site.
In addition, the RTX has a standard range extender (diesel engine with power generator) with an output of 225 kW, which is built into the body to save space. This turns the RTX into an integrated power plant that automatically recharges the high-voltage batteries when more energy is consumed than is stored in them.
Safety and health
RTX is practically emission-free and is also exposed to fewer pollutants and noise at the place of action
The integral design of the RTX cabin ensures a high level of passive safety during the approach. Thanks to the air-sprung chassis, the vehicle can be lowered to the point where it is needed (175 mm above ground level) so that the crew compartment can be entered without barriers and the equipment stored in the vehicle can be removed from the ground with a secure footing. The shadowless LED ambient lighting and underfloor lighting increase safety around the vehicle.
In addition, the RTX reduces the pollution of the emergency services to a minimum. Even on the way to the place of action, they are practically emission-free and are also exposed to fewer pollutants and noise at the place of action than before, because the majority of all technical and shorter fire-fighting operations can be carried out purely electrically.
Modern Command Post
In the RTX, the driver's cab and crew room merge into a modern command center in which briefings can be carried out in a quiet atmosphere protected from the wind and weather. For this purpose, the driver and front passenger turn their seats inwards and address the crew members who are seated on the sides of the vehicle facing each other and on the rear wall of the cabin facing the front.
All of the vehicle's functions, from the lighting to the extinguishing technology, can be controlled via a 17" display installed centrally in the dashboard. In addition, the vehicle sets up its own W-LAN, which can be used to wirelessly control robots, drones, and other electrical equipment.
Action on Hollywood Boulevard
We are pleased that we were able to develop the RTX for America together with the Los Angeles City Fire Department"
The RTX for the Los Angeles City Fire Department presents itself with a clear, consistent design line and branded front end. In Los Angeles, after extensive training and testing at Fire Station 82 on Hollywood Boulevard, it will go into regular service. Andreas Zeller, CSO of Rosenbauer International AG said, “We are pleased that we were able to develop the RTX for America together with the Los Angeles City Fire Department and that it will soon be able to demonstrate its capabilities in everyday firefighting.”
“We also expect a strong impulse for sales from this, because many other US fire brigade organizations that have already shown interest in the vehicle are currently looking forward to LA and want to take the first practical experiences with the RTX into account when making their purchase decisions.”
State-of-the-art concept
Richard Fields, Assistant Chief Los Angeles City Fire Department said, “We were at the Rosenbauer Group headquarters in Austria at the beginning of February to accept our vehicle and had the opportunity to get to know it better, to drive it, and to test all of its functions.”
“We were particularly impressed by the driving characteristics and driving comfort of the RTX, but the operating and control concept is also absolutely state-of-the-art. A vehicle that we will certainly enjoy, that has everything we need for our routine operations and with which we are also making a contribution to climate protection.”
