When a fire was reported in Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA)’s Model S, some questioned whether the company would be able to recover from it, but in reality, it isn’t a big deal. Sure, the technology is new and people worry that the lithium ion battery is a huge danger. Business Insider’s Alex Davies says Tesla’s batteries are basically a bomb, but clearly the company has set up numerous firewalls to make the battery safe for drivers.
Tesla’s handling of the PR surrounding the fire
While some have argued that Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) did not handle the fire very well in terms of public relations, Davies believes that the company did. It presented the evidence as it was able to determine it and admitted that the fire did indeed start in the battery. The company made sure consumers and investors were well-informed about what happened and did not blame the driver, in spite of the fact that the vehicle ran over something in the road. Many automakers would have turned the blame on the driver.
This was a smart move since the automaker can’t know why the Model S went over the metal object. It likely wasn’t something the driver was able to see. He certainly wouldn’t have wanted to wreck his ultra-expensive car. And he was so impressed by his experience in the accident that he actually wants to buy another Model S. The car did exactly what it was supposed to do by warning him that there was a problem and telling him to exit the vehicle. It was after that when the fire started. The fact that the driver wasn’t hurt is a testament just how safe the Model S really is.
And Tesla took good care of him after the fire, offering him a loaner vehicle and providing an official explanation for what happened.
Car fires are somewhat common
Just think about how many car fires probably happen every day in the U.S. With more than 20,000 Model S sedans on the road, this is the first fire we’ve heard about. Car fires happen, so Tesla was bound to have one sooner or later. It should be noted that the National Highway Traffic Administration has investigated other models because of multiple fires in recent years, like the Jeep Grand Cherokee earlier this year.
The only reason this one fire made the news was because it was a Model S. Many would like to see Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) fail. So far, this is just one fire, and the cause was clearly external rather than a problem with the car itself.
