Tesla Semi Fire Took A Plane And 50,000 Gallons Of Water — Proof EV Fires Are A Nightmare

A large fire broke out in an all-electric Tesla Semi-truck on a large freeway in Northern California. Heading east out of the city of Sacramento in the early hours of August 19, the truck collided with a traffic marker affixed to a metal post on a curve in the road. Following the initial impact, the semi-truck also struck several trees after leaving the freeway and descending a hill into the forest.

Fortunately, the driver was unharmed during the collision, but it resulted in a fire emanating from the truck's large 900kWh lithium-ion battery. Emergency crews were dispatched to the scene, including a specialist from Tesla that could evaluate the condition of the EVs systems for added safety. Photos taken of the scene show a significant fire threat as a massive cumulation of flames are seen through the trees just off the freeway.

As fire fighters battled to extinguish the towering flames, they utilized around 50,000 gallons of water and required fire retardant that was dropped onto the scene from an aircraft. The plane delivering fire suppressing chemicals was needed to counteract toxic fumes coming off the wreckage. Following the freeway closure after first responders arrived, the road remained closed until the following evening with the freeway closure spanning around 16 hours.

According to data from the NTSB evaluated by Auto Insurance EZ, EVs only account for about 5% of vehicle fires, whereas gas-powered vehicles make up around 60%. It's likely the number of incidents seem higher because they get more exposure by the media. As the technology improves, first responders can more swiftly put an end to these types of scenarios, further protecting surrounding people and property. However, EV fires continue to be one of the reasons why more people aren't driving electric cars, according to an expert.

However, once an EV battery ignites, it creates far more intense flames burning much hotter than a traditional vehicle would. In fact, battling a Tesla vehicle fire in 2021, firefighters required 40 times more water to put the EV flames out, than they would've for a gasoline car, per The Hill. One of the issues for responders regarding EV fires is that the battery's location is difficult to reach as it's highly protected by surrounding titanium material and located underneath the vehicle.

Fortunately, the reasons why electric vehicles catch fire are being explored with new methods and technology in development to combat potential fires. For example, there is a new firefighting compound in the works, that can separate oxygen from the flames, while Coldcut Systems offers a water lance cutting tool for better battery penetration. In fact, the ColdCut water lance has even been mounted on a modified Toyota Hilux designed to combat EV fires on any terrain.