Washington, D.C. - They are being celebrated from San Diego to Portland to Albuquerque, but every one of the "all electric" or "zero emissions" fire trucks come complete with a diesel engine. That is according to one reportwhich found each new truck purchased with the help of a federal program comes with a diesel engine to ensure it can pump water, or even drive, when the electric battery runs out. Additionally, the cost of the trucks is anywhere from 40 to 50 percent more than an all-diesel counterpart.Â
"This would be laughable if so much money wasn't being wasted on such a big lie," said Daniel Turner, Founder and Executive Director for Power The Future. "Every politician celebrating these trucks as 'all electric' are either lying to the public, or too clueless to know what they're talking about. Over-spending tax dollars on a product and then misleading voters is nothing less than pure fraud."
According to the report, one of the "all electric" fire trucks was purchased for $1.8 million with $400,000 coming from a federal grant. The Governor of New Mexico hailed the purchase of the "zero emission" vehicle.
Power The Future is a 501c4 non-profit dedicated to fighting for American energy workers.