Temperatures well below zero, coupled with snow and ice as far as the eye can see: the perfect conditions for the exhaustive winter condition testing of Rosenbauer’s RT (Revolutionary Technology) electric municipal vehicle presented themselves in the north of Sweden. The result: more than just satisfactory.
The small Swedish town of Arjeplog is situated in the province of Lapland and lies just a few kilometers south of the Arctic Circle. The area is not just known as a place to see the Northern Lights and reindeer, but also as a Mecca for testing vehicles in winter conditions. And for good reason: the Rosenbauer test team encountered perfect conditions for testing the RT's winter resilience on the specially set up test tracks.
Driving behavior on ice and snow
The primary goal of the testers was to fine-tune the handling of the RT to be as perfect as possible, even on slippery surfaces.
The focus was on the steering, braking and assistance systems, differential, and chassis. However, the harsh winter conditions were also used to intensively check the performance of other systems, such as the heating and power supply.
"You can feel the waves while driving"
Several test tracks had been prepared on the lake, including a circular track and a handling course
Incidentally, the extensive testing program wasn't just carried out on land: after all, where can users find better ice than on a frozen lake? A specially deployed "Icemaker" made sure that the ice covering the lake met the requirements of the test team: smooth or slightly rough ice, with and without snow.
Several test tracks had been prepared on the lake, including a circular track and a handling course. Test driver Simon Bauer performed his laps based on the test requirements. Driving on the lake is a special experience, and not just because drivers are constantly driving the vehicle at the limit: "You can even feel the waves under the ice."
perfect parameterization
Other test tasks, such as uphill starts and driving on different surfaces, e.g., with one set of wheels on ice and the other on asphalt, were performed on test tracks on solid ground. Test drivers must not only possess outstanding driving skills, but they must also be able to get a feel for the vehicle.
Alongside the recorded driving data, the test driver's feedback on driving behavior also forms an important basis for fine-tuning the vehicle. Ultimately, it takes the driver, technicians, ride handling, and software programming to all come together to enable the perfect parameterization.
The RT is more than just suitable for winter
Everything - the tires, brakes, driving behavior, and heating - worked smoothly, even down to minus 20 degrees"
"Since the RT is based on a completely newly developed vehicle concept, we were curious to see how it would perform in winter testing."
"It quickly became apparent that the vehicle coped very well with the difficult tasks. Everything - the tires, brakes, driving behavior, and heating - worked smoothly, even down to minus 20 degrees, and only a few fine adjustments were needed for optimization," sums up Gregor Schwarz from the Rosenbauer Test Team.
successful winter testing
It's important that fire departments can rely on their vehicles even in the most extreme situations and conditions.
The successful winter testing of the RT has ensured that crews can drive it both dynamically and as safely as possible in winter conditions. Because, in winter conditions, the RT doesn't just work: it works well.