Fire Suppression Systems for Electric Buses and Off-Road Machinery

Protect electric and hydrogen buses and off-road machinery with protecfire

As the mobility and industrial sectors transition to electric och hydrogen-powered vehicles, new safety challenges arise.

• Electric vehicles (EVs): Lithium-ion batteries store large amounts of energy in compact spaces. Overheating, mechanical damage, or electrical faults can trigger rapid, intense fires.

• Hydrogen-powered vehicles: Hydrogen is extremely flammable. Leaks can lead to fast-spreading fires or explosions if not detected early.

Because buses and off-road machinery often operate in remote or harsh environments, early detection and rapid suppression are essential to protect operators, passengers, and valuable equipment.

protecfire fire suppression solutions

protecfire offers tailored solutions for electric and hydrogen-powered buses and off-road machinery, combining the detexline systems with the innovative SPY-P element.

1. Spy.p – Advanced protection for lithium batteries

(All-in-one detector, nozzle, and directional valve)

• Precise detection: Identifies exactly which battery cell is on fire.

• Targeted suppression: Uses a directional valve to apply the extinguishing agent only to the affected cell, leaving surrounding systems untouched.

• Cooling & fire prevention: Floods compromised cells, preventing fire propagation to adjacent cells.

• Safe intervention window: Provides critical time for firefighters to intervene safely.

Result: Direct, intelligent protection for lithium battery cells — minimizing damage and protecting both operators and equipment.

How detexline with Spy.p protection works:

The SPY.P element is designed to prevent fire propagation between cells inside a battery pack. This means that while the cells already burning may continue to burn, SPY.P prevents the heat from spreading to neighboring cells, avoiding a chain reaction and a large-scale fire.

• Targeted detection and suppression: SPY.P identifies the overheating cell and delivers the extinguishing agent directly inside the battery.

• Cooling effect: Tests have shown that SPY.P not only reduces the temperature inside the pack but also successfully prevents other cells from igniting.

• Controlled fire, not extinguished: SPY.P is not meant to completely put out the fire, but rather to control and contain it, giving valuable time for safe evacuation and for fire services to intervene.

In short: SPY.P provides intelligent, controlled protection for lithium battery packs, reducing the risk of chain reactions and large fires.

2. External battery fire protection with detexline 4V

(For buses and off-road machinery where direct cell suppression is not possible)

Features of detexline 4V:

• Rapid detection & suppression: Protects engines, hydraulics, and electrical systems.

• Automatic activation: Works even in remote or unmanned conditions.

• Reliable in harsh environments: Tested against vibration, dust, humidity, and extreme temperatures.

Standard nozzles (outside the battery pack):

• Contain the fire externally.

• Prevent flames from spreading to other battery packs.

How external battery protection works

This system uses a combination of SPY units, nozzle bars, and directional valves to protect the outside of the battery pack.

• Unlike SPY-P, it does not flood individual cells.

• It is less effective at extinguishing a fire inside cells, but engineered to slow flame spread and protect nearby areas.

Purpose and benefits

The primary goal of external battery protection is passenger safety.
By slowing down fire propagation in the battery compartment, the system provides valuable extra time for safe evacuation.

Key benefits:

• Slows fire spread: Prevents flames from reaching nearby components.

• Passenger safety: Gains critical seconds/minutes for evacuation.

• Protects surrounding equipment: Reduces damage to electrical systems and vehicle structures.

Limitations

Because external systems do not directly target burning cells:

• They cannot extinguish the fire at its source.

• Their effectiveness is limited to containing the fire within the battery area until fire services intervene.