Convincing on paper and in operation.

Karen Fry and Tyler Moore lead the Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services. It's a city where worlds literally collide, according to Karen. Some of the roughly 2.5 million people are among the poorest in North America, while at the same time, some very rich people also live there. Exorbitant housing costs intensify the situation for many. With 700,000 inhabitants, the city center is one of the most densely populated areas in the country. "In the downtown area, we're at 19,000 people per square kilometer," Karen quotes a statistic, "and that's the fourth highest value in North America."

150 firefighters on a 24-hour shift and the 43 fire engines are challenged. Adding to a rise in household accidents and increased deployments due to improper handling of batteries from e-bikes and scooters, climate change has become a real threat. There are forest and bush fires, says Karen. Last year, 100 people died as a direct result of the heat, even though Vancouver is so far north and right by the sea.

Vancouver considers itself a green city and ranks among the top internationally. Many bike paths, the largest city park in North America, but above all the goal of wanting to be CO2-neutral by 2050, underline the ambitions. Whoever thinks that the environmental thought alone was decisive for the RTX is mistaken. "What was more important in the purchase was that the car can be lowered, allowing the emergency forces to work more easily and safely," Karen explains. Tyler adds that the issue of noise reduction also played a significant role.

"We have many small side alleys in Vancouver," Karen describes the requirement profile further. With its maneuverability, short overhangs, and small turning circle, the RTX is perfectly suited for this. "But actually," Tyler laughs, "the RTX is also supposed to deploy in high-risk areas and industrial environments – basically, we want to use it for everything."