Cold Cut Systems has developed a practical and tactical method to interrupt fire propagation in electric vehicle (EV) battery fires, an increasingly critical challenge worldwide. The method is based on the Cold Cut Cobra high-pressure cutting extinguisher and over two decades of operational experience in firefighting.
This solution addresses a growing capability gap in managing thermal runaway and fire propagation in lithium-ion battery packs, where traditional methods often fall short in speed, safety, and efficiency.
Key capability gaps addressed include:
Firefighter safety: Enables external intervention, reducing exposure to heat, toxic smoke, and structural hazards.
Efficient cooling of battery modules: Allows responders to pierce through the battery pack casing and cool internally, limiting the risk of further propagation.
Environmental impact: Uses significantly less water (approx. 60 L/min), reducing toxic runoff and secondary damage.
Operational adaptability: Applicable in complex fire scenarios, including EVs, residential structures, and confined spaces.
Technology Readiness Level (TRL): 9
The Cobra system is a mission-proven technology in use by fire services in more than 40 countries. The propagation-stopping method has been validated through live fire testing, real deployments, and collaboration with researchers, fire professionals and national civil contingencies agencies.
Innovation and Market Differentiation
While Cobra’s core technology has been in use for over 20 years, its application to EV battery fires and fire propagation is a tactical evolution. The method offers a unique combination of cooling, access, and safety, providing fire crews with a new operational option in scenarios where conventional tools are ineffective or too risky.
The overarching ambition of this proposal is to raise awareness and promote adoption of a tactical method for interrupting fire propagation in EV battery fires, a growing challenge for fire and rescue services worldwide.
This method represents a proven and scalable approach that helps address three urgent needs in modern firefighting: firefighter safety, environmental sustainability, and operational efficiency.
Our objective is to support safer methods that enable crews to act from a safer distance. By applying Cobra through structure or casing, responders can suppress fire early and reduce exposure, flashover risk, and physical strain.
The method is particularly relevant in EV battery pack incidents, where fire propagation (thermal runaway) is difficult to access and control using conventional means. Our approach makes internal cooling of battery packs possible, without full dismantling, halting the chain reaction that poentially leads to catastrophic events.
It also supports a cleaner and more resource-efficient firefighting process. With significantly lower water usage, it helps reduce toxic runoff, property damage, and environmental footprint—critical as many services operate under growing resource constraints.
By sharing this method through the Direktion Awards, we hope to inspire international collaboration and accelerate the integration of new tactics into operational practice. The ambition is not to promote a tool, but to transform how fire services handle the most complex and high-risk incidents of our time.
The innovative strength of our solution lies in the development of a tactical method to interrupt fire propagation in electric vehicle (EV) battery fires, a rapidly growing risk where traditional firefighting methods are often insufficient or unsafe.
This method builds on the Cold Cut Cobra system, which combines high-pressure cutting with water mist extinguishing, enabling crews to pierce through and cool battery compartments. But the innovation is not in the tool alone, it is in how it is applied, and what it makes possible.
By integrating over two decades of operational experience and field data, we have developed a structured methodology that allows responders to act early, limit propagation, and reduce the impact of thermal runaway in lithium-ion battery packs. This approach provides a new tactical option for emergency services facing high-risk, complex fire scenarios.
Our strength also lies in our comprehensive training infrastructure, which ensures that this method is not only understood, but also correctly and consistently applied in the field. Through scenario-based exercises, instructional materials, and expert guidance, we are able to bridge the gap between innovation and implementation.
Cold Cut Systems is currently the only company offering structured training in cold cutting technology for firefighting, giving us a unique ability to support both capability development and long-term adoption of new tactics.
We continuously evolve both the technology and the method, incorporating real-world feedback and research findings. This demonstrates that our innovation is not static, it is a process of adaptation, refinement, and collaboration with fire services globally.
Our solution addresses a critical operational challenge for fire and rescue services: how to safely and efficiently manage propagation in electric vehicle (EV) battery fires, that can escalate rapidly and be difficult to control using conventional tactics.
The method enables responders to act earlier in the event, by using Cobra to pierce the battery casing and deliver fine water mist to cool the modules, potentially interrupting the propagation chain. This provides a viable tactical option in scenarios where high-voltage components, casing structures, or limited access would otherwise prevent efficient intervention.
In practical terms, the method helps resolve:
Limited access to battery compartments: The ability to cut and cool through external surfaces gives crews access to the source of thermal escalation.
Inefficiency of traditional methods: Conventional firefighting often requires full submersion of the vehicle or large volumes of water over extended periods. Our method uses ~60 litres/minute with high precision, improving efficiency and reducing environmental impact.
Lack of standardized tactics for EV fires: Many fire services still lack defined procedures or tools for managing EV incidents. This method offers a repeatable, trainable approach that integrates into existing response protocols.
By filling these operational gaps, the solution enables safer, more controlled incident management and reduces the risk of escalation in one of the most complex and fast-evolving areas of modern firefighting.
Cold Cut Systems brings together fire protection engineers, firefighters, and technical experts with deep knowledge of both product development and field operations. This unique mix ensures our solutions meet real-world needs. We work closely with fire services and researchers worldwide to continuously adapt, always aiming to make firefighting safer, cleaner, and more efficient.
Cold Cut Systems brings together fire protection engineers, firefighters, and technical experts with deep knowledge of both product development and field operations. This unique mix ensures our solutions meet real-world needs. We work closely with fire services and researchers worldwide to continuously adapt, always aiming to make firefighting safer, cleaner, and more efficient.