Given the news, you might be convinced that the Tesla Model S is the Pinto of our generation, which is to say, prone to explosions and fires while driving. However, the recent fires are no reason to doubt the sturdiness of the Model S, nor is it a reason to doubt the future of Tesla Motors or electric cars in general.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors, is certainly not a reliable source for impartial judgment, but in his recent talks with the press, he has made interesting points. According to a report from the National Fire Protection Association, more than 150,000 car fires occur in the United States each year. As Musk wrote in a blog post addressing the fires, according to stats from the NFPA and the Department of Transportation, there is about “one vehicle fire for every 20 million miles driven, compared to one fire in over 100 million miles for Tesla.”
Notably, in all of these fires the drivers have walked away from the crash, even the driver in Mexico, which slammed into a tree and a wall at a high speed. Though the Tesla fires may be prominent in the news, it is a foolish concern based more on hype than on actual cause for concern.
Following the third accident and fire in Smyrna, Tennessee, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a statement that it is looking into the incidents “to determine if there are vehicle safety implications that merit agency attention.” Following the earlier Seattle fire, the NHTSA found no evidence to support the theory that the fire was caused by a defect in the construction of the vehicle. In the case of this last fire the car drove over a tow hitch on the freeway which, punctured the bottom of the car. The Model S design is unlikely to be found at fault on this occasion as well.
However, while Tesla Motors may not have to worry about the flames in the cars damaging business, Musk might do well to remember that, given his celebrity status, everything he says is news. While he may be confident in declaring, “there’s definitely not going to be a recall,” that decision ultimately lies with the federal government. If the NHTSA does conclude after this most recent crash that the Model S needs to be recalled investors are likely to lose confidence in Musk. This could have serious effects on the future of Tesla Motors. However, there is no official investigation as of yet, and given the lack of injuries or fatalities in the Tesla accidents as compared to conventional cars, it is unlikely to come to anything.
Assuming that Tesla can continue to weather the storm of jumpy investors and unfortunate news reports, it is unlikely they will have concerns for the future of their electric cars. Given the situation, it is unlikely the NHTSA will decide to force a recall of the Model S cars. These fires, while frightening, are a far less substantial cause for concern than might be expected given their coverage in the news.