The electric car maker has sent through a software change to make its cars ride higher
After three highly publicized recent fires, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk announced Tuesday that the company's electric cars are being given higher ground clearance to make them less likely to strike road debris that can potentially penetrate the battery pack and ignite a blaze.
He also said Tesla is asking federal safety regulators to 'conduct a full investigation as soon as possible into the fires.' The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has already said it is reviewing the latest incident near Smyrna, Tenn., and is contact with Tesla.
In addition, Musk says he is amending the cars' warranty to cover damage due to fire.
Musk announced the steps in a lengthy post on Tesla's blog. In it, he offers yet another strong defense of the car's safety, especially as it relates to protection from fire. 'We believe the evidence is clear that there is no safer car on the road than the Model S,' he writes. His company expects to produce more than 20,000 of the electric cars this year, which sell for about $70,000 and up.
He calls media reaction to the three fires as a gross overreaction, especially given how thousands of conventional cars have been consumed by gasoline fires from ruptured tanks over the years.
In this Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2013 photo provided by the Tennessee Highway Patrol, emergency workers respond to a fire on a Tesla Model S electric car in Smyrna, Tenn.(Photo: AP)
The column is one of the outspoken Musk's most brash yet, and is likely to attract a cadre of fact checkers. Tesla stock has nosedived over the incidents. From about $180 a month ago, Tesla closed Monday at $121.58 a share. It was down another $13.87, or 10.2%, for the day.
He says his battery-powered car is actually safer than just about any gas-powered car on the road.
'Since the Model S went into production mid last year, there have been over 400 deaths and 1,200 serious injuries in the United States alone due to gasoline car fires, compared to zero deaths and zero injuries due to Tesla fires anywhere in the world.'
Two of the Tesla fires were caused when the vehicle struck road desbris that pierced the battery compartment. The third happend in Mexico when a Model S crashed. In each case, the occupants escaped unharmed. Musk says it's proof of the car's safety.
But given the media outcry, Musk indicates he decided to act even though he already stands by the car. He says the plan to create more ground clearance under the cars has already been implemented.
Tesla has already sent a signal to the computers in all Model S cars to tell them to increase the vehicle's ground clearance at highway speeds. he says the goal is to reduce the chance of hitting objects on the road. Another software update in January is aimed at letting drivers set their preferred road height for themselves and passengers.
As for the NHTSA involvement in probing the three accidents that led to fires, Musk says that if regulators offers suggestions on how to improve fire safety in the Model S, he will immediately implement them. he has previously said he does not expect that the Model S will need to be recalled over the fires.
When it comes to extending the warranty on the sedan, Musk says his decision will apply to Tesla models and be applicable even if the driver is held to be a fault for the fire.
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