— A Tesla Semi truck crashed and caught fire after noxious fumes from burning lithium-ion batteries closed an interstate for 16 hours, an investigation is underway.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the circumstances of the Aug. 19 Tesla semi-trailer crash on Interstate 80 near Emigrant Gap, California.
Tesla’s description of the all-electric Semi truck is:
“Charging with electricity is approximately 2 times cheaper per mile than refueling with diesel. Drivers can save up to $150,000 in fuel costs within the first three years of vehicle ownership. With remote diagnostics, over-the-air software updates, and fewer moving parts for maintenance, drivers will spend less time in the service center and more time on the road.”
The National Transportation Safety Board said it was “investigating this matter due to concerns about the risk of fire from lithium-ion batteries.”
The California Highway Patrol will be involved in the investigation along with the National Transportation Safety Board, and the patrol will “examine the wreckage and gather details of the events leading up to the collision and the subsequent fire response.”
The all-electric truck was not towing a trailer when it left the eastbound lanes of I-80 and struck trees around 3 a.m.
The driver was taken to hospital, but it remains unclear whether the vehicle was using semi-autonomous driving technology.
The fire department sprayed thousands of gallons of water on the burning Tesla car and eventually placed fire extinguisher around the truck to prevent the fire from spreading.
Lithium-ion batteries are known to have thermal runaway, a phenomenon in which they can reignite several days after a fire has been extinguished.
Parts of Interstate 80 were closed for up to 16 hours to prevent harmful fumes from the burning batteries, which could reach temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees.
CarComplaints.com will update our website with the results of the Tesla Semi NTSB fire investigation.
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