Report: Cybertruck Crashes, Catches Fire, Driver Dead (Houston, TX)

[Alto]

I saw this on the news this morning.

Update: the driver died: https://www.khou.com/article/news/l...exas/285-1b631e4f-7b1b-4645-9050-0cb839aa104a

Report: https://www.yahoo.com/news/ev-safety-concerns-tesla-cybertruck-112216568.html



Mon, August 5, 2024 at 7:22 AM EDT

HOUSTON (KIAH) – A Tesla Cybertruck caught fire early this morning at 7003 Fisher Road in Baytown, Texas. According to the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), the truck crashed into a ditch before it was engulfed in flames.

I would like to be reassured the battery compartment is adequately resistant to puncture. Did this unfortunate accident involve extraordinary circumstances that Tesla could not reasonably be expected to prevent rupturing the battery compartment? Or, should I buy the up performance under body protective panels to avoid punching through the bottom of the battery area.?
The accident is only described as running into a culvert.

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[RickJ19Zeta8]

I would like to be reassured the battery compartment is adequately resistant to puncture. Did this unfortunate accident involve extraordinary circumstances that Tesla could not reasonably be expected to prevent rupturing the battery compartment? Or, should I buy the up performance under body protective panels to avoid punching through the bottom of the battery area.?
The accident is only described as running into a culvert.

There is a very large crash structure and air-gap around the sides and bottom of the battery pack. A under body panel...... may have helped..... but without knowing where the battery was punctured that is just a random guess.

Seeing how well the truck has faired in 30 - 80mph vehicle crashes, even leaving the roadway and rolling in that one Texas crash, its probably a safe assumption that the vehicle was at triple digit speeds when it left the road way. Very easy to do with the power the Cybertruck has.

RIP

 

[BillSirloin]

RIP to the drive and condolences to their family. But you don’t see the media reporting other incidents like this stating the car manufacturer. I see car fires like this all the time and the media doesn’t tell us it was a Ford or Nissan, just that it was a vehicle fire.

 

[Cyber Satoshi]

From 2014 to 2016 there were 171K vehicle fires per year

 

[Pops]

Wow that is right near where I live. I think I saw this CT once, but it could have been someone else. This literally hits close to home. These news stories shouldn't bother you guys, unless you own stock. But even then its in everyone's best interest that EVs are made safer and less prone to fires. Solid state batteries or other chemistries might be part of the solution.

Honestly, my biggest fear right now is that our CTs are inescapable if the doors do not open or are blocked. Those resilient glass windows are nice, until the CT is filling with smoke or water.

 

[RandyS]

Wow that is right near where I live. I think I saw this CT once, but it could have been someone else. This literally hits close to home. These news stories shouldn't bother you guys, unless you own stock. But even then its in everyone's best interest that EVs are made safer and less prone to fires. Solid state batteries or other chemistries might be part of the solution.

Honestly, my biggest fear right now is that our CTs are inescapable if the doors do not open or are blocked. Those resilient glass windows are nice, until the CT is filling with smoke or water.

On page 227 of the owner's manual, they have a pretty good writeup about exiting with no power. All of us owners should be up to speed on this....

https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/cybertruck/en_us/Owners_Manual.pdf

 

[Stuck4ger]

It takes less energy to put out an ICE fire when the gasoline has already blown up. It was much easier to put out a ‘77 Pinto fire!

 

[REM]

On page 227 of the owner's manual, they have a pretty good writeup about exiting with no power. All of us owners should be up to speed on this....

https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/cybertruck/en_us/Owners_Manual.pdf

If Telsa doesn't already do this, they should have buyers sign-off during the sales paperwork stating they fully understand how to activate the emergency exit mechanism

 

[Pops]

On page 227 of the owner's manual, they have a pretty good writeup about exiting with no power. All of us owners should be up to speed on this....

https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/cybertruck/en_us/Owners_Manual.pdf

That is good information, and make sure to advise your regular passengers. I feel the manual release for the rear doors is ridiculously hidden and complex. They should have been made exactly like the front doors.

That said, these details will not help in the water, the pressure differential would make opening doors near impossible.

During a crash, the doors might be blocked buy other cars, walls, earth or jammed depending on the dynamics of the accident.

Perhaps the solution here is to design glass that can origami outwards when shattered, or just go back to standard break away glass.

Watch this clip and imagine people are trying to help you get out of your CT that is burning... scary. 10lbs lead weights thrown by fit young men cannot get through the glass.

 

[Stuck4ger]

If Telsa doesn't already do this, they should have buyers sign-off during the sales paperwork stating they fully understand how to activate the emergency exit mechanism

Because as evidenced so often in this forum, consumers don’t read much of what they sign. “How do engage FSD?” ?

 

[owl23]

On page 227 of the owner's manual, they have a pretty good writeup about exiting with no power. All of us owners should be up to speed on this....

https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/cybertruck/en_us/Owners_Manual.pdf

Those back door releases continue to be one of the most frustrating things about Teslas, in my opinion. They've never been adequate as "emergency" exits. The levers on the front doors make so much more sense. I'm sure it is cost savings but I love the safety of Teslas and I wish they would put those same releases in the back doors.

 

[nevetsyad]

Wow that is right near where I live. I think I saw this CT once, but it could have been someone else. This literally hits close to home. These news stories shouldn't bother you guys, unless you own stock. But even then its in everyone's best interest that EVs are made safer and less prone to fires. Solid state batteries or other chemistries might be part of the solution.

Honestly, my biggest fear right now is that our CTs are inescapable if the doors do not open or are blocked. Those resilient glass windows are nice, until the CT is filling with smoke or water.

1:45AM, they were probably going 110+MPH into that turn before flying off into the culvert. Opening scraps of what was once doors wasn't really a concern for what was left of the driver after impact.

 

[Zipperback]

RIP to the Driver and condolences to the family. Tragic happening for a truck that has been designed for safety.
I can't tell much from the pictures I've seen but the first question I asked was, "How fast was the car traveling?" BEV or ICE - you hit an immovable object at excessive speed and no amount of protection is likely to prevent a fatality.

 

[Spacenoddle]

That is good information, and make sure to advise your regular passengers. I feel the manual release for the rear doors is ridiculously hidden and complex. They should have been made exactly like the front doors.

That said, these details will not help in the water, the pressure differential would make opening doors near impossible.

During a crash, the doors might be blocked buy other cars, walls, earth or jammed depending on the dynamics of the accident.

Perhaps the solution here is to design glass that can origami outwards when shattered, or just go back to standard break away glass.

Watch this clip and imagine people are trying to help you get out of your CT that is burning... scary. 10lbs lead weights thrown by fit young men cannot get through the glass.

I had the exact same thought while i was watching the video. I keep a loaded 9mm in the center console mainly for breaking the window. I know regular window glass breaking tool won't work in CT. Hope 9mm is good enough to shatter the glass and puncture some holes for me be able to kick the glass off. after watching the video, now i am thinking of replacing the 9mm with revolver with magnum ammo。

 

[Spacenoddle]

1:45AM, they were probably going 110+MPH into that turn before flying off into the culvert. Opening scraps of what was once doors wasn't really a concern for what was left of the driver after impact.

I don't think there won't be much left for the driver. Its burning temperature is 3 times of temperature setting for human body cremation.

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