Last week in France, a Tesla Model S exploded and caught fire. Yup, it was all over the news and social media but don’t worry, it is not uncommon for cars to burst into flames.
The Model S battery was overheated and caught fire as the driver turned towards a highway. Fortunately, the car began displaying a warning message and the four passengers inside were able to escape in time without injury. Tesla has confirmed the incident and is currently working with the French investigators to figure out the cause of the fire. See the video below of the exploded car:
Incendie de la #Tesla lundi 15 août 2016 à #Bayonne. Avant l'arrivée des pompiers. Voiture complètement détruite. pic.twitter.com/qT8h6ccFoP
— Cédric Faiche (@cedricfaiche) August 15, 2016
The story was first reported by Sud Ouest, a French newspaper in which the driver tells how he heard a loud noise coming from the car as he accelerated around the highway. According to Business Insider, 17 cars catch fire every hour in the United States. Although a Tesla exploding seems like a big deal, it is still five times safer than an average car. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said:
“Americans drive about 3 trillion miles per year according to the Department of Transportation. That equates to 1 vehicle fire for every 20 million miles driven, compared to 1 fire in over 100 million miles for Tesla.”