Tesla Model S Catches Fire: Is This Tesla's 'Toyota' Moment? 388
cartechboy writes "A Tesla Model S was involved in an accident in Washington state on Tuesday, and the car's battery pack caught fire (with some of it caught on video). The cause of the accident is pretty clear, and Tesla issued a statement that the vehicle hit 'a large metallic object in the middle of the road.' Whether that collision immediately set off a fire in the Model S's battery pack isn't known, but a report from the Regional Fire Authority of Kent, Washington went into detail on the battery pack fire saying the car's lithium-ion battery was on fire when firefighters arrived, and spraying water on it had little effect. Firefighters switched to a dry chemical extinguisher and had to puncture numerous holes into the battery pack to extinguish it completely. Aside from the details of how the battery fire happened and was handled, the big question is what effect it will have on how people view Teslas in the near and middle-term. Is this Tesla's version of 2010's high profile Prius recall issue where pundits and critics took the opportunity to stir fears of the cars new technology?"
unexplained fires are a matter for the courts (Score:4, Funny)
With an Canyonero
heh. (Score:5, Funny)
Tesla Model S Catches Fire: Is This Tesla's 'Toyota' Moment?
Only when you consider Toyota's slogan is "Driving excitement". I can think of nothing more exciting than OH GOD OH GOD WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE.
My car will never catch fire (Score:4, Funny)
I am going to stick with my gasoline fuelled car. It will never catch fire
Re:Big Oil is Dancing (Score:5, Funny)
I told you so!
Signed,
Edison
Just gonna make it worse (Score:0, Funny)
"spraying water on it"
"puncture numerous holes into the battery pack"
I'm guessing these guys don't even know what a battery is.
Re:vs gasoline cars (Score:5, Funny)
If it's a documentary type, the risk is nonzero; but quite modest. If it's a moody psychological thriller, you should avoid flashbacks but are utterly safe. If it's an action shlock-slinger, colliding with a pothole, shopping cart, or just about anything else at more than a few miles an hour will produce a massive fireball. Be sure to practice jumping improbably to safety. In this last case, the safest way to navigate the roads is actually to either be chasing or chased by armed criminals/terrorists/secret agents at all times. While cars not involved in high-speed chases routinely explode at the slightest stimulus, being involved in a high speed chase improves performance and fuel economy by at least 50%, provides an immunity to most bodywork damage(except bullet holes through inessential pieces of glass, be sure that your insurance covers windshield replacements), and makes explosions virtually impossible.
Re:Looks much less dangerous than a gasoline fire (Score:4, Funny)
A large metallic object (Score:2, Funny)
There are lots of large metallic objects in the middle of the road. They're called CARS!
Re:Big Oil is Dancing (Score:5, Funny)
Fuck oil and electricity. I want a *nuclear* powered engine. Now THAT will be an accident!
Meta-Pundits (Score:5, Funny)
Is this Tesla's version of 2010's high profile Prius recall issue where pundits and critics took the opportunity to stir fears of the cars new technology?
One thing is clear: Meta-pundits will use this opportunity to stir fears about what pundits will do.
Re:heh. (Score:4, Funny)
OH GOD OH GOD WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE.
I am a Nissan Leaf on the wind, watch how I soar.
Re:vs gasoline cars (Score:5, Funny)
Funny story. On the way back from Thanksgiving during college, I was driving a couple classmates from my area with me. We hit a deer. I got out of the car to check the damage, and one of the girls in the car started running down the highway. In her adrenaline rush from the crash, she must have had a movie PTSD flashback and thought the car was going to explode.
Re:vs gasoline cars (Score:5, Funny)
obviously gasoline cars never catch on fire
Gasoline vehicles burn ALL the TIME. You see it in every movie you watch nowadays.
Which is much safer than the gasoline vehicles in movies from the 70's and 80's. They had a nasty habit of going over cliffs and exploding in tremendous pyrotechnic displays(after coming to a complete stop). The fireball could easily reach 50 feet. Often times they transformed from an expensive Ferrari into a Pinto before going over the cliff.
Re:vs gasoline cars (Score:4, Funny)
... crash ... thunk ....
Boooooooooooooom!
Re:vs gasoline cars (Score:5, Funny)
Judging by the username, I'm going to go with shrooms.
Re:Big Oil is Dancing (Score:5, Funny)
Fuck oil and electricity. I want a *nuclear* powered engine. Now THAT will be an accident!
I'm sure that in 2043, plutonium is available in every corner drugstore, but in 2013, it's a little hard to come by.
Re:vs gasoline cars (Score:4, Funny)
It does now.
Re:vs gasoline cars (Score:4, Funny)