On 27 November 2025, over 20 representatives from Hampshire & IOW, and other UK Fire & Rescue Services, together with the Environment Agency and aviation senior management, attended the Academy launch at Silverlake’s site situated between Southampton and Portsmouth. The attendees experienced both theory and practical training on the Cobra System from Cold Cut Systems.

Cold Cut Systems is proud to have developed in, collaboration with the car manufacturing giants, an industry award winning tactical and practical method to interrupt fire propagation in electric vehicle (EV) battery fires. The method is based on the utilisation of the handheld Cold Cut Cobra high-pressure cutting extinguisher.

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*.

Commenting on the Electric Vehicle Training Academy, Rob Cole, Assistant Chief Fire Officer and Director of Operations at Hampshire and IOW Fire & Rescue Services said: “The fire and rescue sector is facing an evolving risk landscape, and lithium-ion battery incidents are a clear and growing challenge across the UK. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service is committed to understanding emerging risks and exploring potential developments in tactics, training and technology that may support firefighter and public safety in the future.

Our attendance at the launch event provided a useful opportunity to observe one of the many approaches currently being developed in this area, and to broaden our understanding of the challenges associated with electric vehicle fires. We welcome continued collaboration across industry and the fire sector to ensure that any future operational mitigations are evidence-based, safe, and aligned with national guidance.”

Martin Orman, Managing Director of Cold Cut Systems UK said: “We have partnered with Silverlake to launch the Electric Vehicle Training Academy because of their expertise in understanding vehicle construction and their world class facilities.  Such strategic partnerships offer a chance to develop intrinsic understanding of the risks involved and the Cobra method to benchmark against other tactics and products on the market or develop their own use of the Cobra system to embed and implement Cobra effectively.”

Allen Prebble, Managing Director at Silverlake said: “We believe the Electric Vehicle Training Academy will deliver unquestionable value for our Fire & Rescue Services, and we are delighted to make our facilities available for further training sessions in 2026. As an automotive recycler responsible for the safe management of end-of-life electric vehicles, we are committed to, and continue to invest in, innovative solutions that mitigate risk.  We work closely with Hampshire and IOW Fire & Rescue Service to ensure that we are leading the way in site fire safety.  They have been using our site for simulated road traffic collision training for many years, and it was a natural next step for us to partner with Cold Cut Systems UK to extend our support further and make this Electric Vehicle Training Academy available.”

 

About the Cobra System

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.