Arcimoto

Arcimoto

Arcimoto

Of all the weird and wonderful machines we've tried out over the past few years, the Arcimoto FUV remains one of my favorites. It's an electric three-wheeler, built in Eugene, Oregon, and its makers accurately describe it as a Fun Utility Vehicle.

Last fall, Arcimoto began the first customer deliveries of the electric trike, but the company doesn't just want to sell vehicles to commuters and people looking for a fun runabout; it's targeting some more serious applications, too. And this is where the Arcimoto Rapid Responder comes in. It's a variant designed for the emergency services, and the first of these have just begun testing with the Eugene Springfield Fire Department in Oregon.

"At Eugene Springfield Fire, we pride ourselves on being a progressive organization that is always in search of innovative new ways to improve our services. In 2019, we responded to more than 40,000 emergency calls, and a large number of those could have been better serviced using the Arcimoto Rapid Responder. We are extremely proud to be the first firehouse in the world to deploy this cutting-edge vehicle," said Fire Chief Chris Heppel of Eugene Springfield Fire.

"With its maneuverable small footprint and ability to go where big trucks can’t, we believe the Rapid Responder can help departments cut carbon emissions and fuel costs while improving response times," said Arcimoto's CEO, Mark Frohnmayer.

Like the civilian FUV, the Rapid Responder has a range of 100 city miles, a top speed of 75mph, a rear cargo compartment, and seating for two, tandem-style. But it also gains a roof-mounted equipment rack, a little light bar and siren, floodlights for illuminating the area, and a quieter powertrain (so everyone can hear each other over their radios). Full production of the Rapid Responder variant is expected to begin in late 2020.

Listing image by Arcimoto