A recent crash involving a Tesla Semi electric truck on California’s Interstate 80 turned into a massive firefighting challenge, necessitating an astonishing 50,000 gallons of water to extinguish.
The incident is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The crash occurred west of Lake Tahoe, requiring aircraft to dump fire retardant overhead to prevent the blaze from spreading. CAL Fire worked tirelessly to cool down the vehicle’s battery, preventing it from reigniting.
The fire, which burned at temperatures as high as 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, forced a shutdown of part of the interstate for 15 hours.
The Tesla Semi, occupied by a company employee, was en route to Tesla’s battery factory in Sparks, Nevada, from a warehouse in Livermore, California, when it veered off the freeway, plowed through trees, and finally stopped against more trees at the bottom of a slope.
Thankfully, the driver emerged unscathed.
Despite the spectacular nature of the blaze, Tesla’s driver-assistance systems, Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (Supervised), were confirmed to be non-operational during the collision. The NTSB’s preliminary report confirmed this.
The incident underscores the significant challenges that lithium-ion battery fires pose, especially with electric vehicles.
Traditional firefighting methods are often inadequate as these batteries can continue releasing oxygen, fueling the fire for hours.
In this instance, the amount of water required equaled the average consumption of an American family of four over five months.
Firefighters in the U.S. currently lack a standardized method for extinguishing EV fires, often resorting to simply using water and waiting for the fire to burn out.
The notable weight of the Tesla Semi’s battery, around 11,000 pounds, further complicates matters, potentially escalating the severity of such fires.
Elon Musk introduced the design for the Tesla Semi truck in November 2017 with plans for market release in 2020.
However, the company has yet to commence large-scale production, though it aims to begin by the end of 2025, as per Tesla’s second-quarter earnings report in July.
As investigations continue, the primary cause of the battery ignition remains undetermined.
Nevertheless, the situation highlights the pressing need for improved methods in handling electric vehicle fires, especially as the world transitions towards sustainable transport solutions.