Emergency response vehicles need to be able to operate reliably in extreme circumstances. They need to carry a range of emergency equipment, be fast enough to minimise response time and drive comfortably in extreme conditions. Because of these factors, the common challenges of electric vehicle technology such as battery capacity and charging speed has led to little electrification.
However, in the case of power outages in natural disasters and extreme weather, battery-electric powered emergency vehicles have had a significantly positive impact. Not only do they provide an emission free alternative to combustion engines, but they also allow the supply of energy through vehicle-to-grid technology.
In this article, we dive into battery-electric powered emergency response vehicles and their importance in relation to power outages and natural disasters.
Power outages are a prominent issue in areas that are prone to natural hazards or extreme weather. Natural disasters and climate change caused 37% of outages in Europe between 2000 and 2017, and 44% of outages in the US over the same period. A key example was the extreme weather in Texas causing 3 million households to be without electricity at the start of 2021.
In the cases of power outages, not everyone has access to fossil fuel generators, or fossil fuels for that matter. And between the period of the outage and restoration of power, lives can be at risk. As a solution, battery-electric powered response vehicles are used by local emergency responders to provide necessary power to people in critical situations.
Electric emergency vehicles such as the Nissan RF-LEAF are purpose built electric vehicles (EVs) to provide electricity in emergency situations. It is designed with vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology that enables energy to be both charged and released from the battery. On top of this, they provide an emission free solution to a form of vehicle that almost exclusively uses internal combustion engines.
Emergency EVs are equipped with a range of adapters for providing devices, homes and even areas with temporary power whilst restoration works take place. As such, these vehicles support the response, recovery and resilience of communities facing natural disasters and extreme conditions.
The most prominent challenge for battery-electric powered emergency vehicles is battery capacity. Not only do they need to be able to reach the areas affected by outages, but they need to then provide energy for extended periods of time. Moreover, they are usually equipped with specialised equipment such as all-terrain tyres and tracks, adding to overall weight and power consumption.
Every moment is precious in times of disaster. Emergency EVs need to be able to respond as soon as possible to provide power for people in critical situations. Depending on the situation, charging speed can delay this response time by a significant margin. For example, if power restoration is taking a significant amount of time and there are limited emergency EVs available, each will need to be recharged and sent back out. This is where charging speed becomes a real challenge.
The most important aspect of an emergency response vehicle is maximising battery capacity potential. In light of this, specialised designs that prioritise this over other aspects such as total battery weight and miscellaneous features are suitable. Nissan’s RF-LEAF showcases this by having a 62 kWh battery that can provide electricity to the average UK household for approximately six days.
Access to fast-charging solutions allows emergency responders to minimise the impact of idle charging time. Ultra-rapid DC charging stations can reach highs of 350kW, allowing the full charge of medium-sized vehicles within an hour. Moreover, innovative technology in Megawatt Charging Systems (MCS) is showcasing the ability to charge a truck carrying 200-600 kWh batteries in 20-30 minutes; this paves the way for almost eliminating the challenge of charging speed in battery-powered electric emergency response vehicles.
EV electrification is becoming more prominent across passenger, fleet and now emergency vehicles. Not only do they provide an emission free alternative to combustion engines, but they also provide useful features such as V2G technology in the case of emergencies.
With Dalroad, you can have access to all the necessary information to future-proof the electrification of your designs. We have a full team of experienced engineers to provide you with unbiased advice when you need it. Contact a member of our team today to discover a world of connectivity components and systems for your current project.
