In what might be a first, a Tesla Cybertruck driver is dead after crashing, the vehicle bursting into flames. The fatal accident, which is under investigation, happened in the area of Baytown, Texas early on the morning of August 5.
Man almost loses a finger in a Cybertruck door.
According to Texas Department of Safety, the Cybertruck left the roadway where it curves, crashing into a large concrete culvert before it burst into flames. The driver, who suffered severe burns, was inside the all-electric truck when he died.
As we’ve seen in other EV fires, the blaze burned so hot the VIN number was melted off the Cybertruck’s frame and the drive was left unidentifiable, reports KHOU. Footage of the aftermath shows the melted remnants of the pickup, scorch marks visible on the stainless steel body panels which hadn’t been completely destroyed.
When thermal runaway occurs thanks to damaged cells in an EV’s lithium-ion battery pack, the resulting fire can spread rapidly. It might be the driver didn’t have time to get out of the truck, although it’s possible he was injured and unable to move.
It sounds like the investigation will be difficult to conduct thanks to the lack of intact physical evidence.
One theory that’s been floated out there is that the Cybertruck’s accelerator pedal became stuck. There has been a recall for this known issue with owners reporting unintentional, runaway acceleration.
Another is that the Tesla had Autopilot engaged and the system didn’t negotiate the curve in the road properly. Of course, driver impairment, distraction, and other factors could also have been at play, although none can be confirmed. We’re sure the investigation will look into these and other possibilities.
For now, all we know is this is likely the first fatal accident involving a Cybertruck and sadly won’t be the last.
Image via KHOU 11/YouTube
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