In the wake of last week’s fire, the central issue becomes a simple “what happened?” Tesla’s initial investigation supports the statement that the Model S's owner made to the emergency services at the scene. The carmaker claims that a large chunk of metal debris thwacked the bottom of the sedan, punching a three-inch hole in the armour plating surrounding the lithium-ion batteries. Significantly, Tesla says only part of the pack caught fire, and that the blaze was limited to the forward section of the vehicle, never penetrating the passenger compartment. The car's owner noted that the vehicle’s warning system quickly advised him to pull over and get out.

posted 3848 days ago