NTSB says it wants to figure out what caused Tesla Semi crash

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said it wants to figure out what caused the Tesla Semi accident that occurred in Placer County, California on Monday.

To our knowledge, it was the first crash involving a Tesla Semi, and it had significant implications.

The accident shut down the Interstate 80 corridor for hours. The Semi is still in the process of being rolled out slowly to larger companies that have been handpicked by Tesla to receive units for what is apparently early-adoption testing.

However, the accident that occurred on Monday will give Tesla and safety crews and emergency responders more information on how to fight fires of this size and significance.

The NTSB’s safety investigation will yield more info on how the crash occurred and what crews can expect from Class 8 electric trucks when this kind of thing happens.

According to first reports from the crash, the Tesla Semi was operating without a trailer when it crashed. Fire crews arrived on scene just after 3 a.m. on Monday. The stretch of I-80 where the crash occurred was not re-opened for another 13 hours:

Tesla Semi fire prompts hours-long closure of I-80

Battalion chief Nolan Hale told local NBC affiliate KCRA that these types of fires are extremely difficult to contain. However, one of this size was a new challenge:

“There’s a reaction, an exothermic reaction, occurring within a battery cell that is contained and heavily contained by design.”

It is not uncommon for these regulatory agencies to investigate crashes with new vehicle types. It is advantageous to get as much information as possible so firefighting techniques and safety precautions can be recorded to help lessen the severity of future accident instances.

Yesterday, we reported that Tesla is hiring for a new position that will test abuse of the Semi and how it impacts both battery and electronic systems within the vehicle.

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