Tesla Slips From Pedestal That May Have Been Too High

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

Tesla Slips From Pedestal That May Have Been Too High

 

Over the last year of so, Tesla motors has received some really good press. But this past week, it's been knocked off its pedestal.

 

"We're a country that likes to put things up on pedestals and then tear them down from pedestals. We do that with people, I think we do that with things," says Jack Nerad, an analyst with Kelley Blue Book.

 

The electric car company was downgraded by analysts on Tuesday and a video of went viral. The company's stock took a hit.

 

...

 

Tesla grapples with impact of battery fire in U.S.

 

DETROIT (Reuters) - Two days after a video of a burning Tesla electric car went viral, the "green car" maker grappled with ways to contain the damage as investors shaved $2.4 billion off the company's market value.

 

Tesla Motors Inc has confirmed that the car caught fire after the driver ran over a large metallic object on Tuesday morning just south of Seattle, causing extensive damage to the front end of the Model S sedan. Emergency officials at the accident said the fire occurred in the electric vehicle's lithium-ion battery.

 

It was the latest in a string of problems for lithium-ion batteries, which are used heavily in EVs sold by various automakers.

 

However, the battery fire was the first for Tesla, the California-based EV maker founded by billionaire Elon Musk.

 

http://youtu.be/q0kjI08n4fg

 

 

[Atomic Wanderer Chicken]

That's frightening to think a puncture to the battery can cause it to burst into flames like that. They should put Kevlar around the batteries in the future!

[HawkMan]

That's frightening to think a puncture to the battery can cause it to burst into flames like that. They should put Kevlar around the batteries in the future!

 

Meanwhile gas cars are catching on fire all the time without that being in the news...

 

also, can't people learn to hold the phone the right way when filming. 

[Chicane-UK Veteran]

Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote a comprehensive piece about the crash and subsequent fire. 

 

http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/model-s-fire

 

It's also worth mentioning that the owner of that Model S was very pleased with how the car performed in a crash, and says he can't wait to get another one to replace it. 

 

There seems to be a seriously worrying negative 'spin' machine at work in the wider media about that Tesla crash. I mean you'd almost think a lot of them have a hidden agenda the way they're writing about what happened. 

[The Evil Overlord]

yikes

[Kami-]

Err, yeah - a standard car in exactly the same situation would've been in a worse state.

[srbeen]

That's frightening to think a puncture to the battery can cause it to burst into flames like that. They should put Kevlar around the batteries in the future!

 

Yeah, lithium-ion is a nasty substance, but boy does it work well! Just remember this the next time you have your cell to your ear or your laptop on your lap.. Those are more likely to burst into flames from overheating though.. Unsure what kevlar would do for heat.

[cork1958]

That's frightening to think a puncture to the battery can cause it to burst into flames like that. They should put Kevlar around the batteries in the future!

 

Nothing frightening about it!

 

That's what batteries do when you puncture them. Everybody know that!

[HawkMan]

lithium batteries has the energy density of TNT. what do you think happens if you wrap kevlar around that and the battery goes and needs to release that energy? instead of a firebomb you now have a high explosive. 

 

Granted that is LiPo, I believe LiIon is somewhat safer with lower energy density, but as has been repeatedly seen in smaller and bigger scales they're still had news if stuff goes bad. 

[Stetson]

That's frightening to think a puncture to the battery gas tank can cause it to burst into flames like that. They should put Kevlar around the batteries gas tank in the future!

[Anibal P]

Err, yeah - a standard car in exactly the same situation would've been in a worse state.

 

Proof? My proof is that cars run over the same crap daily and yet they do not blow up or start burning, gas tanks are nicely protected and takes a fairly large impact to cause any catastrophic damage to one

[+Red King Subscriber²]

It feels like media has a bias these days,

- go to war with everyone

- health care is bad

- guns are good

- electric cars are awful

[Anibal P]

It feels like media has a bias these days,

- go to war with everyone

- health care is bad

- guns are good

- electric cars are awful

 

Problem for you is that other than the first point, they are all true, so it's not bias, it's truth, it just not suit your agenda or bias is all 

[HawkMan]

Proof? My proof is that cars run over the same crap daily and yet they do not blow up or start burning, gas tanks are nicely protected and takes a fairly large impact to cause any catastrophic damage to one

 

Without knowing what the large metallic object was and running a gas powered car over it multiple times and see that this never happens(after all, this might be the one in a million lucky hits he was unlucky to get by hitting it just right) you can't claim that.

 

you are right about one thing though, the Tesla caught fire when driving over a large metal object damaging the battery. Gas cars, well they're "frequently" catching fire from just normal driving without hitting anything, or in the case of performance cars from simply being used and overheating....

 

just do a google or bing news search for car caught on fire. and that doesn't even show all the events that don't appear in bigger national news. after all, a car catching on fire isn't big news, unless it's a Tesla or Ferrari. 

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

There seems to be a seriously worrying negative 'spin' machine at work in the wider media about that Tesla crash. I mean you'd almost think a lot of them have a hidden agenda the way they're writing about what happened. 

 

Yes, I've noticed this too.

 

It can be common actually whenever a big pile of cash is about to change hands. The interests of some of the stakeholders can be in conflict with each other during mergers and acquisitions. Even if we look at GM, do they really want to pay top dollars for this stock? I doubt it. Everyone wants a discount and so do they :)

 

Another explanation is that the speculators have opened short positions and are betting on the stock's decline after this year's amazing rally.

[HawkMan]

Problem for you is that other than the first point, they are all true, so it's not bias, it's truth, it just not suit your agenda or bias is all 

 

No they're not all true, they're opinion, hence agenda. 

 

and proof from everywhere else is showing that your "truth" is not that true. national health care, better and far cheaper(When done right), Guns, less killings, suicides and violence without them, Electric cars are working excellent for their purpose(I couldn't use them really, since the combination of -10 to -35 in winter time and 20km drive to work isn't very good for current gen cars. but maybe in the future)

[Praetor]

I once saw a Ferrari F430 burning and the driver was standing by it's side, completely shocked, only could recognize it was that model because of the tail lights.

 

Did that give me a negative image of Ferrari's? Nope. Was it downgraded? I doubt it.

[theyarecomingforyou]

It concerns me how people are so quick to disparage Tesla when traditional cars have a much worse safety record. The media coverage has been completely lacking in context.

[Linkinfamous]

That's frightening to think a puncture to the battery can cause it to burst into flames like that. They should put Kevlar around the batteries in the future!

 

The battery's firewall worked quite well. All flames were directed down, and the other packs were contained.

 

The firemen did a big no-no and punched a hole in the top of the compartment. THAT was far worse than the event that caused the fire to begin with.

 

Clearly, firefighters need better training on how to handle EVs.

[GreenMartian]

Just to balance things out. Email correspondece between Elon & the driver himself:

http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/model-s-fire

 

Some highlights:

 

A curved section that fell off a semi-trailer was recovered from the roadway near where the accident occurred... The geometry of the object caused a powerful lever action as it went under the car, punching upward and impaling the Model S with a peak force on the order of 25 tons.

 

The Model S owner was nonetheless able to exit the highway as instructed by the onboard alert system, bring the car to a stop and depart the vehicle without injury.

 

At no point did fire enter the passenger compartment.

 

And from the driver:

 

I agree that the car performed very well under such an extreme test. The batteries went through a controlled burn which the internet images really exaggerates. Anyway, I am still a big fan of your car and look forward to getting back into one.

 

 

Edit: d'oh, didn't realise someone already linked the blog on an earlier reply..

[cork1958]

Second time recently I've seen some story titled Tesla and the first thing that pops to mind is the rock band!!

 

I've heard of this Tesla before, but hasn't been in the news much previously, so not a name that pops into mind instantly. At least they're working on becoming a more common name now!!

[Growled Member]

Just to balance things out. Email correspondece between Elon & the driver himself:

http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/model-s-fire

 

Some highlights:

 

A curved section that fell off a semi-trailer was recovered from the roadway near where the accident occurred... The geometry of the object caused a powerful lever action as it went under the car, punching upward and impaling the Model S with a peak force on the order of 25 tons.

 

The Model S owner was nonetheless able to exit the highway as instructed by the onboard alert system, bring the car to a stop and depart the vehicle without injury.

 

At no point did fire enter the passenger compartment.

 

 

Seems to me the car handled remarkably well under those circumstances. Probably better than any gas car would have done.

[HawkMan]

The car actually detects faults and tells you what to do ?

 

well show me the gas car that does that when a faults causes it to catch fire... and unlike this, they usually burn quickly into the passenger compartments, and there's been a lot of cases where people discover smoke coming from the engine area, and stop the care, and they barely make it out of the car with their family before the whole passenger area is engulfed. 

[Brian M. Veteran]

Proof? My proof is that cars run over the same crap daily and yet they do not blow up or start burning, gas tanks are nicely protected and takes a fairly large impact to cause any catastrophic damage to one

 

 

A curved section that fell off a semi-trailer was recovered from the roadway near where the accident occurred and, according to the road crew that was on the scene, appears to be the culprit. The geometry of the object caused a powerful lever action as it went under the car, punching upward and impaling the Model S with a peak force on the order of 25 tons. Only a force of this magnitude would be strong enough to punch a 3 inch diameter hole through the quarter inch armor plate protecting the base of the vehicle.

 

This isn't just standard crap you run over every day. If you were to run over that in a petrol car, and it punctured the fuel tank, I imagine you'd be in pretty much the same state.

[Praetor]

The car actually detects faults and tells you what to do ?

 

well show me the gas car that does that when a faults causes it to catch fire... and unlike this, they usually burn quickly into the passenger compartments, and there's been a lot of cases where people discover smoke coming from the engine area, and stop the care, and they barely make it out of the car with their family before the whole passenger area is engulfed. 

 

They do: it's when your skin starts melting.