SCDF unveils remote-controlled robot to tow fire-hit electric vehicles to safety, trials start at Punggol Fire Station
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has unveiled a remotely operated robot designed to move electric vehicles (EVs) away from danger after a fire, as the share of EVs on Singapore’s roads keeps growing, The Straits Times and AsiaOne reported on Wednesday, 28 October 2026.
The Vehicle Extrication Robot, or VXR, was launched at the Singapore-International Disaster and Emergency Management Expo (SIDEX) at the Singapore Expo. Second Minister for Home Affairs Sim Ann, who announced it, said EVs made up more than 60 per cent of new vehicle registrations in Singapore in the first half of 2026, and that their adoption will continue to grow. AsiaOne separately reported that EVs accounted for 57.6 per cent of new car registrations in the first quarter of 2026.
“Lithium-ion batteries can undergo thermal runaway, and affected vehicles may remain at risk of re-ignition even after a fire has been extinguished,” Ms Sim said. Thermal runaway is an uncontrolled chain reaction in which a battery cell heats itself faster than it can cool down, and because cells are tightly packed, it can spread through the whole battery pack.
In a factsheet, SCDF said affected EV batteries need to be relocated to a safe area as quickly as possible. The car-sized VXR runs on tracks and moves a vehicle by lifting its front wheels. It can be controlled from up to 300 metres away, keeping responders at a safer distance, and has an integrated water mist system that shields it from radiant heat while towing. According to SCDF’s demonstration, an EV that is still hot after a fire in an enclosed car park would be towed out to an open space, where firefighters can continue cooling it with other equipment, including unmanned firefighting machines. Lianhe Zaobao reported that SCDF also uses a battery firefighting system that drills into the battery casing to inject water more precisely at the source of the fire.
The robot will begin operational trials at Punggol Fire Station from October 2026 and at Kallang Fire Station from April 2027. Ms Sim said SCDF is strengthening its EV response through research and burn tests, which will help shape new fire safety regulations and operational procedures, supported by specialised equipment.
The move matters well beyond private cars. Singapore is electrifying its commercial and public transport fleets too: Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said on 24 October that about half of public buses will be electric by 2030, with the whole fleet running on cleaner energy by 2040. Operators of electric vans, lorries, buses and taxis that park in enclosed depots and multi-storey car parks may want to keep an eye on the new regulations SCDF has signalled, review how quickly a burning or damaged vehicle could be reached and moved at their own sites, and make sure drivers know how to report a battery incident early.
Source: The Straits Times and AsiaOne, 28 October 2026 (with Lianhe Zaobao) — Read the original
