Stolen Tesla Model S ignites pre-4th of July fire

Tesla Model S fire

Tesla Model S fireBefore you huff and puff, let’s keep in mind that as of today, no Tesla Model S has caught on fire on its own. The three accidents from last year were not linked directly to the Model S’ fault. However, last night a Model S crashed, splitting in half and proving that even a Tesla can catch on fire if broken in half at high-speed. How many other vehicle wouldn’t?

Tesla Model S explosion pre-4th of July

The fourth Model S fire happened last night, a day shy of the 4th of July fireworks. A high-speed chase with a stolen Model S ended with a fire in Hollywood, California. The Police officers pursued the Model S at speeds over 100 MPH. Eventually, the Model S crashed into several other cars and finally hitting a pole, splitting it in half. The only other instance that comes close to this was an Enzo Ferrari that crashed into a pole several miles further up on Highway 1 a few years ago. It was split in two. Expensive performance cars should handle accidents well, both cases proved that well.

Unfortunately, several people suffered harm and were sent to the hospital in critical condition. The Tesla driver died on the scene, but according to the latest news, was revived at the hospital.

Tesla Model S can catch on fire… under the right circumstances

Last year, we heard about three Tesla Model S catching on fire within months. The first two accidents were an unapproved home charging unit that caused a glitch in the car, something the mainstream media didn’t highlight very well, and the second was from the debris it picked up on the road. The high-velocity impact, which tore a hole in the battery pack caused a short-circuit, which in turn caused the fire. To remedy any future problems, Tesla quickly raised the ride height of the Model S and designed a titanium shield to protect the front battery pack as a free upgrade. The third was a high-speed collision in Mexico that saw its occupants walking away safely. Again, the Model S was never directly at fault and received the highest NHTSA rating.

It’s easy to see how certain groups and the news media will want to spin their own agenda out of this horrible accident. The fact is that, the Model S has so far never found to have design flaws. All previous accidents happened due to outside circumstances. As of now, last night’s Model S fire in Hollywood was the result of a high-speed chase that saw the car split in two.

You can read more on Teslarati.

Nicolas Zart
Born and raised around classic cars, it wasn't until Nicolas drove an AC Proulsion eBox and a Tesla Roadster that the light went on. Eager to spread the news about those amazing full torque electric vehicles, he started writing about this amazing technology and its social impacts in 2007. Today, Nicolas covers renewable energy, test drives cars, does podcasts and films. Nicolas offers an in-depth look at the e-mobility world through interviews and the many contacts he made in those industries. His articles are also published on Teslrati, CleanTechnica, the Beverly Hills Car Club and Medium. "There are more solutions than obstacles." Nicolas Zart