SUPERIOR, Wis. — The Superior Fire Department in northern Wisconsin will be one of the first departments in the state to operate an all-electric fire engine.

The Superior City Council signed off on the approval in April, after some council members initially expressed concerns over the cost.

The new rig will replace the current diesel rig in 2026.

“It’s a really exciting thing to see,” Superior Fire Department Assistant Chief Howard Huber said. “It’s really a reinvention of the platform that we work off of to deliver our services.”

The truck the department plans to order is from the manufacturer, Rosenbauer. The all-electric truck is smaller than a typical fire truck.

(Photo courtesy of Rosenbauer)

The company said charging it from zero to full power takes about 45 minutes.

It also has a backup energy system that kicks in whenever the batteries drop to 20%, even during a rescue operation.

The Superior Fire Department already has two electric vehicles in service. One is for the med-team, the other is for the department’s Battalion Chief.

Huber said the electric vehicles are a game changer. They offer fewer moving parts and the absence of flammable fuel. He said this makes electric vehicles less prone to common safety concerns.

“It’s better in almost every way I can think of,” he said. “They are safer. They are more agile. They are quieter. They do less damage to the roads. They have the same capabilities as our diesel trucks have.”

The department has taken “going green” one step further. On top of the station’s headquarters is a solar array. The array was purchased through a grant and provides 150% of the building electricity.

The excess power is used to charge the two current electric vehicles, and soon the new electric fire truck.

(Spectrum News 1/Megan Marshall)

“When we can cut down on the amount of gasoline we are using, it helps our budget,” Huber said. “When we can cut down on diesel fuel, it helps. Also, the maintenance costs on these vehicles are much lower than on a gas-powered vehicle.”

The department said many other departments have reached out to them for advice on going electric in the future.

Superior has found themselves on the cutting edge of the fire service and is prioritizing advancing their tools and technology.

“Moving to a smarter platform for firefighting,” said Huber. “It’s the right thing to do. It’s responsible. It serves our communities better than continuing to what we were doing with the diesel trucks.”