Yeee-ouch. We don't know what happened here exactly, but one of our readers captured some stunning photos of a Tesla Model S that apparently caught fire this week on Washington State Route 167 outside of Seattle. (Update: Tesla officials say the fire was caused by a crash. See more details below.)
At the moment we don't know whether the fire was caused by a mechanical issue or some kind of crash (although that front end looks pretty trashed), nor do we know if anyone was injured. I couldn't find anything in area news about it, so I'm hoping it wasn't too serious. If you have any insights, drop them in the comments.
It's no secret that the Model S is a very impressive performer. Maybe it was just trying to compete with Ferrari in the wrong ways.
Update: Here is a statement from officials at Tesla, who say the fire was caused by a crash that luckily injured no one and did not enter the car's cabin.
“Yesterday, a Model S collided with a large metallic object in the middle of the road, causing significant damage to the vehicle. The car’s alert system signaled a problem and instructed the driver to pull over safely, which he did. No one was injured, and the sole occupant had sufficient time to exit the vehicle safely and call the authorities. Subsequently, a fire caused by the substantial damage sustained during the collision was contained to the front of the vehicle thanks to the design and construction of the vehicle and battery pack. All indications are that the fire never entered the interior cabin of the car. It was extinguished on-site by the fire department.”
Update: Here's the video.
Update: Either because of the video and photos of the Model S fire or because of a downgrade by Baird, or both, Tesla's stock plummeted this afternoon.
Photos and tip credit Petrus Breedt