The Australian bus and coach industry has spent years fine-tuning electric vehicles to be cleaner, quieter and, most importantly, safer than ever before.
Introducing advanced battery monitoring systems, driver-assist technology and thermal imaging, it seems the industry has ticked all the boxes.
But while they’ve been busy making them safer on the road, there’s one big safety question that’s still looming in the rearview mirror – what happens when something goes wrong and a fire breaks out?
With lithium-ion batteries powering a growing number of buses across the country, and new charging depots being built at scale, the risks involved with housing and operating electric bus and coach fleets are real and increasingly complex.
“The industry’s done a fantastic job making EVs reliable and safe,” Fire Protection Technologies product manager for water mist and oxygen reduction systems Barry Farrell told ABC.
“But fire risk hasn’t been front and centre. With lithium-ion batteries, that’s not a box you want to leave unticked.”
Starting operations in the late 1990s as Halon gas systems were being phased out due to environmental concerns, Fire Protection Technologies founder Pat Harrington seized the opportunity to introduce specialist hazard products to the Australian market.
Specialist hazard products provide precise, effective fire suppression solutions that are customised to protect critical or sensitive assets where standard sprinkler systems could be too harsh or ineffective.
“Pat saw a gap and filled it,” Farrell says.
“He began importing alternatives to Halon from the US, partnering with companies like Fike and from there, the product range expanded into water mist and other advanced suppression technologies.”
Now, with electric buses and their infrastructure creating new kinds of risks that operators and OEMs alike must manage, the safety company is once again moving to fill a critical gap in the local market.
“Despite the rapid growth of electric buses across Australia, there are currently no national standards or requirements specifically addressing fire safety in EV buses, charging depots or maintenance facilities,” Farrell says.
“Traditional buses have long been covered under established fire protection codes, but with the evolving nature of EV technology, new risks aren’t yet reflected in legislation or building guidelines.
“This could lead to some problems for the industry.”
Overseas, the risks involved with running these batteries are already being realised, as multiple depot fires have made headlines and safety guidelines have become more stringent.
Farrell says that these electric bus batteries, when damaged or faulty, can enter a volatile state known as thermal runaway which can cause intense, fast-spreading fires that are difficult to extinguish.
“When a lithium-ion battery goes into thermal runaway, it can spread rapidly, especially when buses are parked closely together in depots charging overnight,” he says.
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“In Europe, where many bus depots are fully enclosed, that creates an even higher risk scenario.”
The introduction of electric buses into Australia has been slower than in countries like Germany, and while many will complain about the gradual adoption being seen locally, Farrell sees this as a blessing in disguise on the safety standard side.
“We’re in a unique position to learn from Europe’s experience and deliver evidence-based fire safety solutions for new energy carriers like lithium-ion batteries, hydrogen and biofuels,” he says.
One of the ways Fire Protection Technologies aims to do this is by continuing its work with German-based fire suppressant company FOGTEC. FOGTEC brings almost 30 years of experience in water mist fire suppression, with Fire Protection Technologies having tackled modern low and zero-emissions transport safety issues together with the company for more than a decade.
“FOGTEC has the only tested system of this kind,” Farrell says.
“It has worked directly with the German government under the SUVEREN program to develop protocols for battery fire suppression. And this is not just about control, but true suppression that actively reduces the heat release rate of a fire.”
Instead of dumping lots of water on the batteries like a traditional sprinkler, the mist system sprays super-fine droplets that quickly soak up heat and turn to steam. This steam helps choke the fire by pushing away the oxygen it needs to keep burning.
Due to the droplets being so small, the system can cool a fire from over 500°C down to about 50°C in under a minute.
“It’s not about extinguishing the fire immediately, but buying time, limiting its spread and reducing risk to first responders,” he says.
The benefits of high-pressure water mist systems aren’t just limited to fire safety.
Due to high-pressure water mist systems using significantly less water than traditional sprinklers, they greatly reduce the amount of contaminated run-off that can carry hazardous chemicals, debris and pollutants into the environment, helping to protect nearby waterways and reduce clean-up costs after a fire event.
“It ticks both boxes,” Farrell says.
“It’s providing a way to safeguard assets and people, while also being mindful of your environmental footprint.”
As the company continues its work in providing critical systems for operators and their buses, Farrell is still left lamenting a lack of national standards for the industry to follow. He says now is the time for change and for pen to be put to paper to make electric vehicle safety guidelines official.
“We need collaboration between government, insurers, engineers and the fire protection industry to create a national standard for fire safety in EV bus depots or charging environments,” he says.
“We’ve seen what can happen when things go wrong, and it would be irresponsible not to act on that knowledge now.”
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