At the leading European trade fair for rescue and mobility RETTmobil, currently taking place in Germany, there are also a number of purely electric emergency vehicles on display – from the ID. Buzz as an emergency ambulance to the Mercedes eCitan with an extension for rescue services.
Volkswagen, for example, has brought an ID.4 to Fulda as a fire brigade command vehicle (KdoW). Technically, the electric KdoW is based on the E-SUV with the 150 kW rear-wheel drive and the 77 kWh battery for a range of up to 530 kilometres. This WLTP value applies to the series model; the ID:4 for the fire brigade is unlikely to get quite that far because of the blue light system on the roof and the resulting poorer aerodynamics.
In addition to some fire brigade-specific conversions – such as the radio installations, the work area lighting, portable hand-held searchlights and a cabinet module in the luggage compartment – the KdoW has Car2X technology. It allows the vehicle to exchange information about local danger spots with other vehicles and the traffic infrastructure via a special radio standard. The transmission of the warning takes only milliseconds – this warning to other vehicles is intended to reduce the risk of accidents “especially during rapid operations”.
In addition to the ID.4, there is another fire brigade command vehicle from the VW Group in Fulda – but in the case of the Audi Q4 e-tron 45 quattro, a four-wheel drive model was taken for the conversion. In addition, VW Commercial Vehicles presented the ID. Buzz as an emergency ambulance on its stand in Hall 3 – the vehicle was already exhibited at the IAA last autumn.
BMW will present an iX1 as an emergency service vehicle, the BMW CE 04 P e-scooter (i.e. the authority version) as well as the BMW i4 M50 campaign vehicle of the “Tune It! Safe!” initiative – the unique piece in police look realised with AC Schnitzer is intended as a symbol for road-safe tuning. In addition, a BMW iX can be seen on the stand of BMW partner Hänsch as a show car of an electric emergency doctor’s vehicle. The 230 kW iX1 has, among other things, a blue light system, work lights and pressure chamber loudspeakers, similar conversions to the VW models. BMW does not give any further details about the iX show car in the press release.
At the Mercedes-Benz stand, visitors will find an eVito Tourer as an emergency ambulance as well as an eCitan as a concept vehicle with a conversion for emergency services. The eVito Tourer with the large 90 kWh battery was developed by the company Ambulanz Mobile, the eCitan was developed by CARS Technik und Logistik GmbH. The eCitan is distinguished by its interior fittings – including a heavy-duty pull-out – and bi-foiling. The eVito Tourer has a rear cabinet for storing medical equipment and tools, a workstation for the emergency doctor, an under-cabinet behind the passenger for resuscitation aids and a side cabinet on the C-pillar with a warming and cooling compartment.
vwn-presse.de, bmwgroup.com (both in German), mercedes-benz.com
Keyword: RETTmobil trade show presents electric emergency vehicle lineup