FOR A SAFER ENVIRONMENT OF ELECTRIC AND HYBRID VEHICLES Photo: Andreas Sutter, Biel Switzerland

Dafo Vehicle is introducing a safer environment for electric and hybrid vehicles There is a global transition to renewable fuels and by that an increasing demand for electric and hybrid vehicles (EV and HEV). As more electric vehicles become operational, their involvement in fire incidents is likely to rise. The significant fire risks associated with vehicles being powered by batteries and high-power electric engines/devices are not widely understood. For example, the consequence from a malfunctioning Li-ion battery can be very serious, potentially resulting in a thermal runaway situation with...

Through multiple international collaborative research projects in which studies were made of fire risks associated with lithium-ion batteries in vehicles, Dafo Vehicle has developed the fire protection system solution safeEVTM that addresses and mitigates these risks effectivelyand safely.

Differences in risks and additional risks between dieselpowered vehicles and EV and HEV The difference between diesel-powered vehicles and EV and HEV from a fire risk perspective is related to the location as well as the character of the potential fire sources. In vehicles with combustion engines, the location of most fire sources is concentrated in the area of the engine compartment. In EV and HEV vehicles potential fire sources are often located in different sections of the vehicle. It means that more protection zones will have to be taken into account. Furthermore, a combination of different...

Dafo Vehicle has developed a full coverage multizone fire protection solution in response to the urgent need for risk mitigation in EV and HEV vehicles. The suppression agent Forrex EVO ™ is used as one part of the complex system solution and it provides effective cooling capacity to slow the fire development for allowing safe evacuation of machine operators. In order to cover all risk areas in the EV or HEV vehicle, the main risk scenarios are typically divided into four protection zones. The different protection zones are then protected in various ways by robust detection and suppression systems...

Early warning detection As a solution to specific risks related to batteries Dafo Vehicle has developed an early warning detection system solution. The system will detect potential battery failure, at the earliest possible stage and take immediate action by cooling, using the suppression agent Forrex EVO ™. This will effectively stop, or delay, a potentially hazardous situation without the fire developing further. Battery pack Depending on the protection level that needs to be achieved the early warning detection system solution can either be applied outside the battery packs or as an integrated...

State-of-the-art graphical user interface. The battery pack should be cut-off upon detection and discharge of the system. Other extinguishing agents such as powder, gas and aerosols are unsuitable due to the lack of cooling effect. Furthermore, non-aqueous agents Touch Screen Optional Features Internal Data logger like powder could in some cases make a fire scenario worse by encapsulating the hazard and shielding it from further firefighting actions. Distribution manifold The early warning detection system will dramatically boost the safety of operators having heavy-duty machines in hazardous...

Case study Heavy vehicles In the automotive industry, electric and hybrid vehicles are a new standard. The technology is recognized and already used in the Mining, Container Handling, Construction, and Forestry sectors. All vehicle manufacturers are aware of the ecological footprint of their products. They focus on sustainability and set goals to reach zero-emission. Dafo Vehicle is a key part of this transition participating in several electric and hybrid vehicle projects together with leading heavy-vehicle manufacturers. Their main requirement is that the electric vehicles shall be equipped...

Safe with Dafo Vehicle Active fire protection is an integral part of systematic and effective fire prevention. Together with Dafo Vehicle, you’ll always get the most effective solution so that you can limit fire damage, reduce downtime and increase productivity. Since the start back in 1919, Dafo Vehicle has developed into a modern, high-tech company committed to offer the very best solutions to our customers. Dafo Vehicle has three main business areas: Integration (Fire suppression systems integration into OEM production line, Retrofit (Fire suppression systems installed at final customer) as...