Ugh. Another Model S fire - 2013-11-06

[polyphase]

Today's EVs are a new technology and a radical reconfiguration of car design. As such they will have different failure modalities. So it is possible to say EV's catch on fire more than ICE cars (and we have no evidence they do with N=3) but are safer cars and even are less likely to injure their passengers in a fire than an ICE car. It is possible to design a car that could not, under any circumstances, catch fire. No one would be able to afford it nor would they want to drive it.

NYC mayor Bloomberg nixed the requirement that users of the bike share program must wear helmets. The statistical analysis indicated the reduced number of fatalities from healthier citizens who would otherwise be deterred from riding to work would be greater than the additional fatalities of those people not wearing helmets. You can quibble with the statistical assumptions but the spirit is absolutely right. BTW, In the first six months there have been no Citibike fatalities. What will the NY Post say after there are 3 in two weeks? One of these days, somebody is going to die on a bike (and in a Tesla) and the innumerate press will whip the peasants into carrying torches and pitchforks.

Is my family safer, period, in a Tesla? I think so.

I realize I am preaching to the converted and I doubt CNBC will ask my opinion, but it feels good. :smile:

 

[Trnsl8r]

Adding automatic fire suppression system to the battery pack might be another solution to the potential fire problem. It will improve safety of people in the car no regardless the shape/size of the road debris, while the cost and additional weight gain would be very reasonable.

(Sorry if this was answered already, haven't bothered to read this entire monster of a thread.)

The Model S already has several fire suppression systems in place with fallbacks. That's the reason why the fire didn't spread to the rest of the pack.

 

[PokerBroker]

One solution, though something that would need to be tested if that hampers breaking distance, would be for the car to automatically increase air suspension hight in case of emergency breaking. So if you hit the breaks hard the car also rises as fast as it can to possibly avoid getting damaged.

If this is done hard enough perhaps you could just jump over the debris

 

[PeterB]

Porsche Panamera crashes, catches fire. Did anyone catch this story on the national news?? Somehow it didn't make it there...

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Porsche-traveling-140-mph-before-crash-into-Mercer-Island-building-231294221.html

 

[vfx]

If this is done hard enough perhaps you could just jump over the debris

Go Speed Go!

 

[Doug_G]

I just got an email from Tesla with a copy of the "From a Model S owner in Tennessee" Blog. It had one extra tidbit at the bottom:

An additional blog from Elon will follow shortly.

 

[Raffy.Roma]

I guess we all are wondering what Elon's blog will concern. In particular what Tesla is going to do after the latest fire.

 

[GenIIIBuyer]

Would be a good time to offer an over the air update for those with air suspension to configure minimum allowed drive height, as some of this blog have requested. Then all the news media that covered this will have to advertise the great OTA update feature.

 

[Raffy.Roma]

@GenIIIBuyer

I wouldn't be sure that Tesla will decide to update the air suspension to work out the situation.

 

[ModelS8794]

Would be a good time to offer an over the air update for those with air suspension to configure minimum allowed drive height, as some of this blog have requested. Then all the news media that covered this will have to advertise the great OTA update feature.

I like this actually. "We think ride height isn't an issue, but as we remain focused first and foremost on customer satisfaction we are implementing an OTA update allowing all customers to choose to suspend low setting on active air if they wish. This will be implemented through a software update ready within the week and available to all Model S drivers, delivered in the comfort of their garage, rather than waiting months for a service center fix or years for a model-year change in any other car."

 

[Right_Said_Fred]

Porsche Panamera crashes, catches fire. Did anyone catch this story on the national news?? Somehow it didn't make it there...

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Porsche-traveling-140-mph-before-crash-into-Mercer-Island-building-231294221.html

Don't forget to post that fire on the Not-a-Tesla Facebook page (full of burning ICE's): https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Not-a-Tesla/185125388344010?fref=ts

 

[JST]

Don't forget to post that fire on the Not-a-Tesla Facebook page (full of burning ICE's): https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Not-a-Tesla/185125388344010?fref=ts

Awesome, but you need to pick a profile pic, too.

 

[JRP3]

Don't forget to post that fire on the Not-a-Tesla Facebook page (full of burning ICE's): https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Not-a-Tesla/185125388344010?fref=ts

Um I see at lest two pics of a Model S on that page....

 

[brianman]

I like this actually. "We think ride height isn't an issue, but as we remain focused first and foremost on customer satisfaction we are implementing an OTA update allowing all customers to choose to suspend low setting on active air if they wish. This will be implemented through a software update ready within the week and available to all Model S drivers, delivered in the comfort of their garage, rather than waiting months for a service center fix or years for a model-year change in any other car."

"Snow mode engage!"

 

[Doug_G]

"Snow mode engage!"

I could use that, actually. During the first major snowstorm last year my car's underside was dragging on snow. And I'm not talking a side street either - that was on a major arterial road near my office (Merivale Road). That said, I don't think I'd normally raise the suspension during highway driving, especially on a long trip where the range loss would be noticeable. Maybe if the road was horrible I'd do that, but I doubt I'd be driving at highway speeds on such a bad road.

 

[Raffy.Roma]

"Snow mode engage!"

Agree. IMO Tesla doesn't think to work out the road debris matter by letting to the owner of the Model S the choice of the ride height. It's just a further option that can always be useful. I would use it on the snow and also on wet roads.

 

[brianman]

I could use that, actually. During the first major snowstorm ...

To be clear, I wasn't being sarcastic. I've been wishing they had this mode for you guys (and me) back in 2012.

 

[JRP3]

That said, I don't think I'd normally raise the suspension during highway driving, especially on a long trip where the range loss would be noticeable.

Would it? Do we have range comparisons between air and non air Model S's?

 

[Dutchie]

Just a couple of them

One dead in car fire in Longmeadow | WWLP.com

Car fire consumes car on trailer | West Seattle Herald / White Center News

Fire Damages Car Port in New Market

Crews at car fire on A38 | Plymouth Herald

Baby checked for smoke inhalation after car fire - News - North Devon Gazette

etc

 

[Apoclyps]

Got an email from Tesla displaying the letter sent from the owner of the car that caught fire after running over the trailer hitch. signed as Juris Shibayama, MD. What relation does this person have to the person who ran into a utility pole while driving under the influence:

Model S Pole Crash. - Page 2