California Highway Patrol (CHP) confirmed that the driver of the Tesla Semi walked away from the crash and was later transported to a hospital. No major injuries were reported, but the cause of the crash remains under investigation. Authorities are investigating whether or not the driver had fallen asleep.
The Tesla Semi, a class 8 all-electric truck, was not hauling a trailer at the time, meaning the fire was primarily fuelled by its own batteries.
Firefighters from Cal Fire reportedly responded swiftly to the scene, but the fire, which burned at approximately 538 degrees Celsius, proved difficult to extinguish. Crews had to use “thousands and thousands” of gallons of water and fire retardant, ultimately waiting for the batteries to cool down to a safer temperature of 8 degrees Celsius before removing the wreck from the site.
Westbound Interstate 80 reopened more than 13 hours after a Tesla Semi caught fire east of Nyack early Monday, the Cal Fire said. Eastbound I-80 remains closed.
Read more here: https://t.co/f11gJBbmWS pic.twitter.com/b6f8qjcoPw
— kcranews (@kcranews) August 20, 2024
The fire caused significant disruption, with Interstate 80 remaining closed until the evening as authorities worked to contain the situation. Fire officials have noted that fires involving electric vehicles, especially those with large battery packs like the Tesla Semi, present new challenges that they are still learning to address.
Tesla Crews with a hazardous materials team contracted by Tesla are actively putting what’s left of the Tesla Semi that caught fire on a flat bed.
I’m told Cal Fire will escort them to the state line where Tesla will examine the truck in Sparks. pic.twitter.com/bBCeetra2S
— Andres Valle (@AndresValleTV) August 20, 2024
This incident comes at an inopportune time for Tesla, as the company is preparing to showcase the Semi truck at the upcoming IAA Transportation 2024 event in Hannover, Germany, next month. The event, scheduled from 17 to 22 September, will mark the Semi’s European debut. With Tesla hoping to make a significant impact at the fair, the fire might cast a shadow over the truck’s introduction to the European market.