Tesla Adds Titanium Underbody Shield and Aluminum Deflector Plates to Model S

Yup.

Many agricultural processing and storage facilities have exploded from high concentrations of product dust in the air. When I was little and heard about one particular incident, apparently I started plans to make a 'carrot bomb'.

 

The fire concern brought up about this plating was because some brush fires have been linked to titanium golf clubs sparking when hitting rocks. The worry isn't that the metal would burn, but the sparks could ignite something else.

This is a non-issue for the car. Any sparks off the S plate would only last about a second, and need a suitable kindling material to land in to start a fire. Lit cigarette butts flicked out a car window have a greater chance of finding fuel for a fire. If driven off pavement, on say a grass parking area, there might be, depending on how much of the titanium plate is covered by the plastic aero shield, a very small risk of igniting dry grass.

If people actually read the owner's manual to their gasoline or diesel car, they would find a warning about not parking over dry grass because the hot catalytic convertor can ignite it.

If a plane's skin is sparking, there are more pressing worries for the pilot.

 

How times have changed. Now that the Prius is mainstream, it's those other "exotic" cars with risky technology we must worry about.

 

Its a little sad that trollbait can't make a simple joke, without it going this far. Our overly safe and litigous society seems to focus on the wrong things. While Tesla quickly looked at the 3 fire incidents that caused no injuries, and were likely safer from fires than most other cars, gm now is getting grilled about deciding not to recall cars and install a $0.57 part. GM also quickly acted quickly to add shielding to the volts battery pack when NHTSA got one to catch fire days after an accident. Let's face it tesla's behaviour with the fire risk, went above and beyond what was needed. GM also went above and beyond with the volt. This is in stark contrast to GM, Toyota, and Fords accident investigations in the past to conventional vehicles, where they made decissions to save money, inspite of increased fatality risks.

Are mufflers and cats more likely to cause fires than tesla's new shield, of course they are, but somehow car fires from gasoline sources, or parts associated with ICEs are OK, but battery fires are not. Both should be considered alright if numbers of deaths and injuries are low enough.

 

I suppose you know that the far greater current F1 threat is from an energized KERS system.

One Per Cent: KERS comes under the microscope after F1 blaze

Mechanic hospitalised after KERS incident - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com

KERS and Marshalls - Racing Comments Archive - The AUTOSPORT Forums

Formula 1 car vents!!

 

So race car drivers and their pit crews wearing fire safety gear for years, if not decades, was just prepping for KERS? When does it get to NASCAR?

 

I seem to remember that there was one month where Tesla S was the top selling car--any kind--in Norway.

 

I recently had it done as well.
They came to my house, dropped off another Model S and whisked mine off to the service center.
No fuss, and didn't take any time out of my day. Absolutely love these guys.