1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Featured Tesla Semi crashed and caught fire. I-80 closed for a day

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by dbstoo, Aug 22, 2024 at 5:17 PM.

Tags:
  1. dbstoo

    dbstoo Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2012
    1,355
    724
    0
    Location:
    Near Silicon Valley
    Vehicle:
    2024 Prius Prime
    Model:
    XSE Premium
    A Tesla Semi was apparently returning to the Tesla giga factory in Nevada for a fresh load of cargo when the vehicle ran off the road. These electric only Semi-trucks are frequently used to ferry batteries to the Fremont factory. In this case there was no trailer on attached to the tractor.

    Cal Trans spent most of the day cooling the battery pack below ignition temperatures before trying to tow it away. Elon iMusk is fond of pointing out that normal ICE sedans have fires too. I don't recall too many of them needing a day to cool down enough to transport the carcass away from the scene.

    More information here: A Tesla Semi crashed and caught fire on a California highway - The Verge
     
    #1 dbstoo, Aug 22, 2024 at 5:17 PM
  2. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2018
    7,229
    6,780
    1
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    *sounds of insurers loading and cocking their actuaries*
     
    #2 Leadfoot J. McCoalroller, Aug 22, 2024 at 5:24 PM
  3. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,405
    10,247
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I'm remembering some diesel trucks burning so completely that there was nothing much left to need much cooling down. Just drag away the axles, pry or peel up any rivulets of melted / re-solidified aluminum, sweep up some other debris, then quickly repave the damaged pavement before reopening the road.

    In one case of a fuel tanker climbing I-82 towards Manastash Vista and rear-ending another fuel tanker parked disabled on the shoulder, while the front driver jumped to safety, there wasn't enough of the rear cab left to even locate a driver's body, it was fully cremated. Though that fact that both rigs were loaded fuel trucks did cause the wreckage to burn more completely than normal.
     
    #3 fuzzy1, Aug 22, 2024 at 5:40 PM
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2024 at 6:01 PM
  4. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2006
    22,230
    11,626
    0
    Location:
    eastern Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    VWs using magnesium engine blocks required a back hoe to come in, dig a hole, and then bury the entire burning car.
    A couple here burned under overpasses, requiring major repairs to those bridges.

    Edit: There are car sized fire blankets available to contain the smoke, and help smother the fire. Plus, they are working on nozzles that go under the vehicle to spray the battery from underneath. Less effective on something this big, but the concerns of EV fires are being addressed.
    Salesforce B2B Commerce
     
    #4 Trollbait, Aug 22, 2024 at 5:52 PM
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2024 at 6:16 PM
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)