Tesla fires

After the accident in Mexico. Expensive car reduced to a pile of scrap. And the driver walked away unharmed! Make that "ran away", as it has been alleged the driver was drunk. Either way, looks like all those stars for crash safety are justified.
Credit: Axis Of Oversteer

You may remember the report in these pages of a fire in Tesla Model S in Washington State, USA on 01 October 2013. At the time, a little investigation made it clear that too much was being made of a single event in an otherwise exemplary safety record.

Since that time there have been two more fires.

In Mexico, a Model S caught fire after it jumped a curb, smashed several feet of brick wall & hit a tree. Obviously, any car is likely to catch fire after such a series of impacts.

The third instance resembles the first: road debris, penetration of the armoured floor pan leading to a fire.

So, what does this tell us about the safety of the Tesla Model S?

1. After a series of impacts, such as occurred in the Mexico event, any car is at substantial risk of fire. No conclusion can be drawn from a single, extreme event, apart from the the extraordinary crash safety of the Model S, given that the driver was able to leave the scene on foot.

2. Two of the fires have some elements in common: road debris, penetration of the armoured floor pan leading to a fire.

3. All vehicles are at risk from penetration of the floor pan. This includes the fuel tank, oil pan & fuel lines in internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

4. To this time, the record of the Model S & other EVs is much better than that of ICE vehicles.

5. No one has been injured in any of these events. Amazingly, that includes the one in Mexico.

Further discussion linked below:

Tesla Fires: What We Know, & What We Need To Find Out

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1088281_tesla-fires-what-we-know-and-what-we-need-to-find-out

How Tesla May Beef Up Its Model S Battery Protection System

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1088380_how-tesla-may-beef-up-its-model-s-battery-protection-system

Tesla's Elon Musk: "Despite fires, Model S still the safest vehicle."

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57612068-76/teslas-musk-despite-fires-model-s-still-safest-vehicle/

Mexico Fire

http://blog.axisofoversteer.com/2013/10/another-tesla-on-fire-after-crash.html / armored Tesla Model S Elon Musk EV electric vehicle lithium ion LiIon battery cell charge recharge energy electricity kWh Volt Watt kiloWatt hour discharge range safety fire petrol fuel first fire October 1 Kent Washington outside Seattle Model S ran over piece road debris later described curved section fell semi trailer semi-trailer Tesla Model S in flames Kent Washington punched 3 inch 3-inch hole quarter inch thick 1/4-inch-thick armor plate protecting battery pack force 25 tons according report Tesla car alerted driver fault pulled over exited exit car car's owner Robert Carlson Tesla investor performed very well extreme test during accident plan plans buy replacement Model S National Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration NHTSA release released statement Thursday indicate recent battery fire involving Tesla Model S result of a vehicle safety defect non-compliance with federal safety standards second fire October 18 Mérida city Mexican Yucatán apparently occurred Model S driver jumped curb took out several feet concrete wall hit a tree driver reported drunk under the influence alcohol Jalopnik fled the scene not uncommon in Mexico video of the aftermath here NSFW issued statement saying driver appreciative safety performance car expedite delivery of his next Model S fire generated less controversy driver at fault /