First electric firetruck in the state coming to Redmond

REDMOND, Wash. — The City of Redmond prepares to receive the state’s first electric fire truck as it looks to electrify its municipal fleets.

With the city’s goal of electrifying at least 50% of its fleet by 2035, the Redmond Fire Department will receive its first electric fire truck by the end of the year.

In August, the mayor of Redmond joined 350 U.S. mayors in a collaboration to increase the electrification of its government fleet.

“Electrifying municipal fleets and building our charging infrastructure is key to building a green economy in Redmond,” said Mayor Birney. “By investing in sustainable transportation alongside fellow Climate Mayors, we not only reduce emissions, but also lay the foundation for new opportunities for innovation and sustainability in our community.”

Over the years the city has been slowly adding electric vehicles, hybrids and clean-fuel alternatives in hopes of delivering clean air, lowering tax bills, and building a more sustainable future for its residents.

The city wrote in a Facebook post that the new electric firetruck will reduce emissions, air pollution and noise without compromising performance, functionality or safety.

Pierce, a subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation, the manufacturer of the electric fire truck, said “Electric fire trucks are designed to maintain the high level of operational standards firefighters demand with no compromises.”

Pierce said that the fire truck batteries are capable of a full recharge in less than 90 minutes but also have an internal combustion engine as a backup.

In 2023, the Washington State Department of Ecology awarded the City of Redmond a $587,155 grant to purchase an electric fire engine, which the city council unanimously approved in February 2023.

In the Agenda Memo, of AM No 20-016, the city council accepted the grant from Ecology and agreed to fund the remaining 75% or $1,761,464 of the over $2.3 million price tag purchase of the truck and its necessary charging infrastructure.

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