An electric fire engine is a fire engine that is powered by an electric motor—essentially, an electric vehicle designed and used for firefighting. Electric fire engines were first proposed in the 19th century to replace the steam pumpers used for firefighting. The electric motor was claimed to be simpler, cleaner, and faster in operation, would save money, and require less maintenance than the steam fire engine. Though production of most electric-powered fire engines ended in the early 20th century when they were superseded by diesel-powered fire engines, they have seen a revival in the 21st century, with fire engine manufacturers such as Rosenbauer and Pierce Manufacturing designing their own electric fire engines.