A UK-based firm has modified the Toyota Hilux by including a 3rd axle and further pair of wheels to show the legendary pickup into a fireplace truck that’s particularly designed to place out EV fires. Despite the fact that EVs current much less of a hearth threat than their ICE-equipped cousins, total, EV fires are tougher to extinguish once they occur. Firefighters have struggled with such fires for years now, however the customized automobile builders at Prospeed have provide you with a purpose-built resolution dubbed the Hiload 6×6.
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The Toyota Hilux wants little introduction: the long-running Hilux is a paragon of sturdiness, as confirmed by the notorious stress exams that the hosts of High Gear as soon as put the pickup via. However the Hilux must be as highly-lauded for its measurement and practicality, which is a part of why it makes an excellent platform for a variety of makes use of — from navy motor swimming pools to emergency service fleets.
The Prospeed modifications start by lengthening the Hilux chassis by 48.4 inches as a way to match the three axles and two extra wheels. The Hilux to Hiload conversion additionally includes a torque splitter system, as High Gear experiences. Because of the additional axle and wheels, the truck’s payload capability jumps to six,613 kilos and its gross automobile weight score will increase to 12,436 kilos.
The chassis cab Toyota Hilux then will get an arsenal of fireplace preventing tools together with a Coldcut Cobra system that may simply slice via an EV’s ground pan and injects pressurized water into the battery pack, thereby stopping the hearth altogether or stopping it from spreading and consuming the entire battery.
This particular system is extraordinarily environment friendly based on third social gathering testing, which discovered the Coldcut Cobra can include or stop an EV fireplace whereas solely utilizing 240 liters, or about 63 gallons, of water. That’s a lot lower than the water wanted to totally immerse an EV in case of a hearth. And, extra impressively, it’s a lot lower than the quantity of water it takes to fill a shower tub, per Autoweek.
Regardless of all its modifications and particular tools, the Hiload continues to be a Hilux on the finish of the day. And the Toyota Hilux is a comparatively small truck, making it the suitable match for multi-story garages; The Prospeed Hiload 6×6 measures in at 72.8 inches tall, making it uniquely-equipped to deal with the low clearances of parking garages, the place EVs might pose a giant threat to different autos within the occasion of fireplace brought on by a battery defect.
