— A Tesla Semi truck crash and fire are under investigation after an interstate was closed for 16 hours due to hazardous fumes from the burning lithium-ion batteries.
The National Transportation Safety Board is looking into the circumstances of the Tesla Semi crash which occurred August 19 on Interstate 80 near Emigrant Gap, California.
Tesla describes the all-electric Semi:
"Charging with electricity is approximately 2 times cheaper per mile than refueling with diesel. Operators can see estimated fuel savings of up to $150,000 within their first three years of ownership. With remote diagnostics, over-the-air software updates and fewer moving parts to maintain, operators will spend less time at service centers and more time on the road."
The NTSB says it's "investigating this event due to its interest in the fire risks associated with lithium-ion batteries."
Joining the NTSB in the investigation is the California Highway Patrol which will “examine the wreckage and gather details about the events leading up to the collision and the subsequent fire response.”
The all-electric truck wasn't pulling a trailer when the vehicle left eastbound I-80 and crashed into trees at about 3 a.m.
The driver went to a hospital, but the question if any semi-autonomous technology was in use hasn't been answered.
The fire department used thousands of gallons of water on the burning Tesla and an aircraft eventually dropped fire suppressant around the truck to prevent the fire from spreading.
Lithium-ion batteries are known for thermal runaway when the batteries can reignite days after a fire was extinguished.
Parts of Interstate 80 were closed for up to 16 hours to protect against hazardous fumes from the burning batteries which reached 1,000 degrees.
CarComplaints.com will update our website with results of the Tesla Semi NTSB fire investigation.