1. The United Kingdom has one of the highest rates of EV adoption, leading to an increased risk for EV fires.
2. Although EVs are less likely to catch fire than internal combustion vehicles, EV fires are generally more difficult to extinguish.
3. UK engineering company Hiload has designed a Toyota Hilux-based fire truck specifically to combat EV fires.
4. The Hilux’s chassis has been extended to accommodate a 6x6 drivetrain, allowing the truck to carry over 6,600 pounds of payload.
5. The fire truck is equipped with the onboard ColdCut "Cobra" fire system, and the load space is also increased by 48.4 inches.
6. The Cobra Ultra High Pressure Lance (UHPL) system uses an abrasive suspended in water to function as a sandblaster and extinguisher simultaneously.
7. The UHPL system can cut a hole in a vehicle's floor pan and inject water at 4,351 psi throughout an EV's battery module casing to prevent thermal runaway.
8. Independent tests by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency show that the Cobra system can prevent battery cell propagation within 10 minutes, using only 63 gallons of water.
9. Despite the Hiload 6x6 fire truck being longer, it maintains a lower profile than other fire-fighting vehicles typically used for EV fires.
10. The lower profile enables the truck to reach places that larger vehicles can't, potentially making a critical difference in life-threatening situations.