Tesla Fires Could Affect Sustainable Transport Demand
As three fires have been reported on the Model S, Tesla manufacturer worries that false claims and negative press could harm the demand for sustainable transportation.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating the Tesla Model S fires, after Tesla Motors insisted that the incidents needed some research. The first and third fires started when the drivers hit metallic road debris, and the second fire was the result of the driver running off the road and hitting a tree.
Car fires are an everyday occurrence, so what makes these fires so different? The answer is simple: Teslas use a large lithium-ion battery, which means that these incidents, and future ones, could result in a big, photogenic fire.
Tesla Motors has not claimed that there is a flaw in the Model S or in the battery themselves, and that is why an investigation has been opened: to assure consumers that there is no need to worry about the safety of any car that operates a lithium-ion battery.
A Tesla blog post stated worry about sustainable transportation demand, despite the fact that no one was injured in the fires. "However," the post said, "if a false perception about the safety of electric cars is allowed to linger, it will delay the advent of sustainable transport."
Once the investigation is complete, the safety of lithium-ion batteries should be clear and the demand for electric cars should go unscathed.