A quiet residential street in rural England turned into a dramatic scene when a parked electric car suddenly burst into flames, leaving its owners stunned and raising new questions about the risks associated with previously damaged electric cars.
The incident involved a Tesla car owned by Rich Farrant, a 56-year-old resident of Compton Dando, Somerset. According to the owner, the car exploded while parked on the roadside outside his home in November, making a loud explosion that could be heard inside the house.
The nature of the explosion is consistent with our previous reports that a Mercedes GLS SUV suddenly exploded in a parking lot minutes after the owner got out of his car to go to the dentist.
Farrant said the explosion occurred without warning.
He was sitting indoors when he heard a strange hissing noise coming from outside. After a while, the noise escalated into what he described as a “huge explosion.” Panicked, he rushed outside and found his car engulfed in flames.
“I ran out and my dream car was on fire,” he recalled. “It just sits there.”
burning dream car
Image credit: Chanokchon – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia.
The “dream car” is the Tesla Model 3 Performance, a high-performance version of the company’s popular electric sedan. Farrant purchased the car just a month ago for about £12,000 (about $15,000).
The price reflects its acquisition through Copart, a global online car auction platform that often sells insurance write-offs and accident-damaged vehicles.
Farrant said he had already experienced problems charging his car before the fire. These problems may seem sporadic, but they are concerning. Still, there are no signs that the situation will escalate into a full-blown fire.
When the explosion occurred on November 17, the parked car quickly burst into flames. Fortunately, no one was nearby when the explosion occurred. Farrant believes the outcome could have been worse if a pedestrian had passed by.
“If someone had walked by this car when it happened, it could have been scary,” he said.
A neighbor rushed over with a fire extinguisher and was able to put out much of the blaze before emergency services arrived. Firefighters subsequently inspected the scene to ensure the fire was fully contained and did not pose additional risks.
The vehicle was ultimately declared a total loss.
A troubled history and an unanswered question
Image credit: James Young – CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia.
An important detail about the car’s history will soon emerge. This Model 3 was involved in an accident before being auctioned.
Cars sold through salvage auctions typically undergo repairs before being returned to the road, but experts say improperly repaired battery systems or structural damage can pose serious safety risks, especially in electric vehicles whose lithium-ion battery packs can ignite if compromised.
Tesla said it could not determine the exact cause of the fire. The company explained in correspondence with Farrant that the vehicle was not inspected at the Tesla factory before the accident, so its technical team was unable to directly investigate the damage.
As a result of these circumstances, Tesla also declined to provide compensation or goodwill support related to the replacement vehicle’s software functionality.
After losing his car in the fire, Farrant bought another Tesla through Copart for about £9,000 (about $12,200). However, he said the replacement lacked the software options he liked on the original car, including Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving capabilities.
He asked Tesla if the features could be transferred to new cars for free, but the company declined the request. Tesla said the previous cars were purchased through a third party and could not verify the circumstances or cause of the fire.
Warning on the used electric car market
Farrant’s experience highlights a growing problem in the used electric car market. As electric vehicles age and enter scrappage auctions, more and more buyers are purchasing them at deep discounts. While the lower price may be attractive, shoppers should keep in mind that electric vehicle battery systems are complex and costly to repair correctly.
When these systems are damaged in a crash or modified to external manufacturer standards, the risk profile can change dramatically.
For Farrant, the experience was both disappointing and shocking. His dream car ended up catching fire on a quiet nearby street, and no one knew or could tell him exactly why. However, as more electric vehicles enter the used market, the lesson is becoming clearer.
Source: SWNS
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