Lawyer dies in Tesla crash... (incendiary batteries)

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by decimon, Nov 4, 2016.

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  1. decimon

    decimon Well-Known Member

    Indy Star
    Justin L. Mack , Maureen C. Gilmer and Vic Ryckaert
    Nov. 3, 2016


    Excerpt:

    The crash left the Tesla in pieces strewn over 150 yards, requiring firefighters to douse multiple fires caused by small batteries and magnesium, Reith said in a news release.

    The lithium ion batteries in the Tesla broke apart and burned in sparking, violent flames. Some firefighters compared the scene to fireworks.

    "Crews were preparing to make the rescue effort," Indianapolis Fire Department Battalion Chief Kevin Jones said. "At the same time, some of those smaller (battery) cells that had broken apart were firing off almost like projectiles around the rescuers."

    More... 2 killed in fiery Tesla crash near Downtown Indianapolis
     
  2. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Well, okay, but overall statistics are a lot more informative than anecdotes.
     
  3. decimon

    decimon Well-Known Member


    Informing of what?
     
  4. Davewill

    Davewill Member

    If the crash left the car "in pieces strewn over 150 yards", the batteries likely didn't have much to do with the fatality.
     
  5. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Right. As the full article states, the driver lost control and the car crashed into a tree. That's the cause, right there. Yes, the batteries were broken on impact and individual cells caused small fires. Less of a blaze, I'm pretty sure, than a ruptured fuel tank on a conventional car.

    Tragic indeed - but I can't see the outcome being any better with any other brand of car.

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 4, 2016
  6. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    When a friend's ad agency became the agency for Volvo, in the briefings they were told that as far as Vp;vp knew, no one belted into a car with air bags had ever died in a Volvo, apart from 'Thelma and Louise' situations .. . but they couldn't say that in ads, since they couldn't be 100% sure. This Road and Track article suggests the same thing: nine models with zero driver fatalities. These cars are death-proof That's one of the two reasons we've driven Volvos for the past 25 years. (The other is their factory pickup program, where they give you 2 round trip tickets to Sweden, a Swedish vacation, and ship the car home free, for a price 8% lower than the US price. Oh, and a bowl of meatballs in the company cafeteria.))
     
  7. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    I can get those at IKEA. I'm holding out for lingonberries! :smile: All kidding aside, a seriously good deal, John.

    I've driven the cars and I know they're tough and well-made. Didn't know they were that tough! Thanks.

    J.

    PS. Ah, lingonberries. They remind me of past pleasant experiences, like this: http://www.scandikitchen.co.uk/product/lapponia-lakka-lingonberry-liqueur-500ml/
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 4, 2016
  8. decimon

    decimon Well-Known Member

    Do you have to drive the car for X number of miles to get it classified as used?
     
  9. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    You do get to test-drive the car in Europe, (up to 6 months as a tourist, up to 5 years if you're staying) but I could find no number of miles is specified. I understand why you're asking, and I think Volvo has this covered. The plan details are here: Volvo Overseas Delivery | Swedish Vacation Package | Volvo Cars. A PDF Brochure with full details of what info you have to supply and what docs and payments are needed (for shipping) can be downloaded from this site. Hope this helps. Hmmm - they do it for Canadians too. Interesting...

    Couldn't find anything about those lingonberries, though... :smile:

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 4, 2016
  10. decimon

    decimon Well-Known Member

    Thanks.

    Long ago and far away...

    ...in the post-war years, Europe was cheap for Americans and cars did not have to meet differing national standards. So there were package vacation/purchase deals for Mercedes vehicles. IIRC, the purchaser had to log at least 400 miles on the purchased vehicle to escape the import tax on new vehicles. The claim was that the savings paid for the vacation.
     
  11. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    That might have been a good thing in the 80s. Bask in the Adriatic breezes of sunny Dubrovnik, drinking Slivovica while your new Yugo is readied. Vacation and car for $3,995. Then again, you could stay home and pick one up at K-Mart for the same price.

    J.
     
  12. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    I'd much rather go to Dubrovnik than K-Mart. I went to a conference there about ten years ago, and it's a beautiful city.
     
  13. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    The first time we did this, the car had to be in Europe for at least six months, although we didn't. After a month-long vacation, we put it in storage and went homeand it was sent five months later as a used car, and no California sales tax, and no customs duty. The second time, ten years later, there was no six-month option but there was state sales tax.

    "...while your new Yugo is readied."
    I love the fact that when the Car Talk guys named the Yugo the worst car of all time, they said the best feature was the heated rear window, so you could keep your hands warm while you were pushing it.
     
  14. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    I'd have no choice. K-Mart pulled out of Canada many years ago. Followed more recently by Krispy-Kreme and Target Stores, who dropped a mega-bundle trying to set up here.

    Had a friend who visited Dubrovnik some years back. Her view - same as Steve's.

    Worst Car? Well, I've never owned a Yugo. Maybe a Lada? I can see a vacation to pick that beast up! Enjoying the howling sleet in Togliatti (deep in Russia, named for the father of Italian Communism) while waiting for your car. You could drink a nice red wine, possibly one made by the jolly good felons at State Labour Camp 43 in Cheremkhovo. Ladas of that day were basically a Fiat design, produced under license. When he was about 17, my son bought a 5-year-old one for $100. Didn't last very long. At that time, I think the Peykan, produced in Iran, was a similar design. The Iranian cars of that name are much different now. Much better looking, anyway.

    My personal worst was my first car - a 1961 Bug-Eye Austin-Healey Sprite, bought in 1966. Electrical system by Lucas, Prince of Darkness!

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 6, 2016
  15. decimon

    decimon Well-Known Member


    That explains it. Except for the Euro spec (bumpers, for instance) of the Svenskmobile.
     
  16. Andrewx91

    Andrewx91 New Member

    Never ever technology/robot/censors/autodriving can take place of a human driving a car, because it's a machinery it's not going to be perfect there is always going to be a chance of an error and it can cause a accident or any other incident in this case it was driver's mistake but I don't trust tesla at all.
     
  17. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be better than the average human driver. That isn't "never ever", that's very soon.
     

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