That’s how much water it took to extinguish the Tesla Semi that caught fire on a California highway last month, according to investigators. That’s the equivalent of one of those carbon-bolted steel tanks used in irrigation or wastewater. And its certainly a lot more than the 500 gallons that was needed to put out a Model S fire in 2018.
EV battery fires are such a concern that the Department of Transportation convened a whole-ass panel about it last month.
We’re going to need to figure that out “expeditiously,” according to this notice in the Federal Register, if we’re going to electrify the trucking industry. Freight accounts for about 8 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. So far, there are “over 160 models” of zero-emission trucks available, and an estimated 17,500 in operation today. And charging those trucks will be more complicated than your average Supercharger. So let’s get those ideas (and electrons) flowing.
Probably too soon to say for sure, but proposed new rules aimed at reducing pedestrian deaths could require bigger vehicles with tall hoods, like trucks and SUVs, to be redesigned.
The proposal would create a new test to simulate “head-to-hood impact” using dummies that represent a range of pedestrians, from kids to adults. NHTSA says the rule could save 67 lives a year.
[National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]
The driver-assist and self-driving company ceased production of its laser sensors as it streamlines operations in the face of tough headwinds.
Lidar is a crucial ingredient in autonomous vehicles, helping them create 3D renderings of their environment. Mobileye says it is making “substantial progress on our EyeQ6-based computer vision perception.” It’s unclear whether this means the company is going all-in on cameras, like Tesla.
