The World’s First Electric Fire Engine, Drive Electric, and COP26: A Break Down
October 2020 saw the launch of the world’s first electric fire engine, created in Scotland by Emergency One, the UK’s leading fire, rescue, and emergency vehicle manufacturer.
This is a massive step forward for climate action, and one that has been supported by Scottish Enterprise. The hope is that this new net-zero emergency vehicle, the ‘EV0’, will be rolled out on the international market, to help tackle climate change across the world.
The EV0 uses battery power to operate not only its engine but also its fire pump – a great feat of innovation by the Emergency One team. This Scottish Enterprise support allowed Emergency One to recruit and train in-house expertise to develop core team strengths.
One of the main goals in creating this electric vehicle was to show that even in a highly complex sector of industry, sustainability can, and has been achieved.
Both Emergency One and TEDxGlasgow have pledged to drive electric on our Count Us In platform, an action which has a huge impact on reducing our carbon footprint. We appreciate switching to electric is a big decision to make, it’s buying a new car after all, however with maximum effort comes maximum reward.
Over a car’s lifetime, the carbon pollution emitted from an electric car is around three times less than that of a conventional petrol or diesel car. If you can’t afford to buy a new car yet, something as simple as researching the topic is worthwhile, and it’ll mean that you know exactly what you want when you do come to make a purchase.
The UK government is pushing to end sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, however we don’t feel this is soon enough. Doing only the minimum at a time of such great need is not an option. We all know that we need to reduce our carbon footprint, so why wait? An increase in demand for electric vehicles will help to drive their pricing down, which in turn creates a more affordable environment for the technology to flourish.
It’s worth our attention and focus now, and our hope is that platforms such as Count Us In will show people just how easy it is to make change in everyday life. In November 2021 the Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) is coming to Glasgow. This conference is due to bring people together with the goals of accelerating climate action, and it is Emergency One’s hope that the EV0 will be available for all to see. Glasgow has been chosen to host the event thanks to the city’s experience and commitment to sustainability, and its top tier facilities.
Glasgow aims to be one of Europe’s greenest cities, and places 4th in the world in the Global Destination Sustainability Index. At TEDxGlasgow we are so proud that our city is paving the way for improved sustainability.
We would love to know what you think, and hear how you might explore ‘Drive Electric’ and other steps on Count Us In ready for action. Share your pictures, videos and amazing ideas with us on social media, or by emailing impact@tedxglasgow.com