Multi-purpose – for extremes
Off highway machines
Joachim Grunwald
Head of Business Unit Coolers, KTR Germany
December 2025 • Climate change is causing ever more disasters around the world – be they forest fires, landslides or floods. These extreme conditions necessitate new equipment, enabling rescue teams to respond quickly and appropriately. This is where a novel and unrivalled amphibious vehicle comes into its own – the Rawkar.
The versatile utility vehicle is to be used in the near future to help in challenging situations and will be an indispensable helper for services such as the fire department, the THW (German Agency for Technical Relief), the DLRG (German Life Saving Association), the mountain rescue service and the coast guard.
Combining modern technology with rugged construction, the Rawkar can be converted for different applications in just a few simple steps. Due to its service-friendly design, all its parts are easily and quickly accessible. The unique eight-wheeled vehicle which is equipped with powerful hydraulics is designed to handle rough terrain, can extinguish fires and move through water. The Rawkar was developed by the North Rhine-Westphalian company Krämer Special Vehicles in Rheine, Germany.
The all-rounder for challenging situations
Conventional utility vehicles are generally confined to one specific task, unlike the Rawkar which is highly adaptable. Its flexibility renders it an indispensable workhorse in areas where rapid response and multifunctional solutions are required. Equipped with a polyethylene buoyancy chamber, it can be filled with liquids so as to extinguish fires and, if this is not large enough, additional tanks can be attached. The vehicle body has a capacity of 500 litres. An additional, transportable water tank provides a further 350 litres of capacity. The hollow body can also accommodate other liquids such as cleaning agents for treating roads after accidents.
Amphibious utility vehicle on eight wheels
The Rawkar combines buoyancy with 100% off-road capability. With a top speed of 40 kilometres per hour, an unladen weight of around 2,800 kilograms and independent suspension, the Rawkar ensures a stable ride, even on very uneven terrain. The hydraulic control is individually programmable with personalised driving modes, enabling the all-terrain utility vehicle to cope with different operating conditions. The Rawkar is optionally equipped with a three-point mount at the front as well as the rear to accommodate a range of attachments including mulchers, snow shovels, mowers, cutters, hydraulic cable winches and sweepers. Its technical features make it a dependable companion – not only for disaster control and rescue services, but also in agricultural, forestry, moorland and water management applications as well as on expeditions.
As an eight-wheeled amphibious vehicle complete with power hydraulics, the Rawkar is unique.
Marlon Lewandowsky
Product Manager at Krämer Special Vehicles
This version of the Rawkar is equipped for fighting forest and vegetation fires. It is just one of many possible configurations.
The primary drive for propulsion and the hydraulics is a Hatz turbodiesel engine with two-litre displacement and an output of 55 kilowatts. So as to meet the high demands when it comes to engine cooling, Krämer Special Vehicles selected a dual-circuit combination cooler from KTR's MMC range. The customised design cools the intercooler air and the engine cooling water.
The Rawkar has been available since autumn 2025. Due to its innovative technology and flexible deployment options, it will set new standards in the world of utility vehicles and be able to combat the forces of nature.
