That image you’re looking at may look somewhat like the remnants of a burnt up F1->ke662 car, but it’s really a Tesla Model S that reportedly caught fire at a supercharging station in Norway. At this point, nobody can be sure what actually started the fire, but we do know that nobody was in the vehicle when it happened. The owner parked the car for charging and left the location, only to return to what remains of the $100,000 car.

The unfortunate burning is being investigated by police, and Tesla->ke1842 has gone on record saying it will do extensive research to determine the cause of the fire as well. At this point, it could be a number of reasons – an electrical failure in the battery system, a problem with the charger system, or a combination of the two. Even arson can’t be ruled out at this point, but if that were the case, it would be a pretty random arson.

All of that white you see in the photo isn’t from the car itself, that is the remnants of the special foam the fire department had to use to extinguish the flaming S.->ke3329 Since the car is power by a lithium battery, throwing water on the fire is just as bad as throwing water on a grease fire – matters will only get worse. The charging station will remain shut down until the mess can be cleaned up and investigation completed, so if you’re looking for a supercharging station along the E18 Aust-Agder, you’ll have to go elsewhere to get your quick charge on.

Continue reading for the full story.

Why it matters

I’ve already seen a lot of drama about this fire, as everyone is quick to jump and point the finger at Tesla. I know it is because the model S has somewhat new technology, but I think it is important for everyone to remember that this kind of thing does happen from time to time. Until the investigation is complete, don’t point fingers at anybody. For all we know, the owner could have incorrectly attached the charger, or someone could have damaged the charger end prior to the owner’s arrival.

It might be easy to want to blame that massive battery pack or all of the technology in the Model S, but this is probably an isolated situation that isn’t likely to repeat itself. The Model S hasn’t proven to be prone to fire. In fact, this is one of only few that have burst into flames. This fire is only the second that has occurred involving a Model S being unattended. I have a feeling investigators will find that there was an issue with the charger overcharging that lithium battery, or an error made by the owner or someone else that previously used the charger. Until we know for sure, I’m not placing blame on anyone. I just hope the owner remembered to make that insurance payment.

Tesla Model S

Read our full review on the Tesla Model S here.