Videos and images of Tesla Inc TSLA vehicles during Hurricane Helene have gone viral, including a video of a vehicle catching fire in a garage. The images and warnings from officials could provide more caution for the electric vehicle sector.
What Happened: Over 100 people have died from Hurricane Helene, a hurricane that hit multiple states since Thursday night. The storm has also caused widespread damage to the region with strong winds and heavy rain.
Pinellas County, which is in Florida, shared a warning video for owners of electric vehicles after a Tesla caught fire inside a garage. The fire was caused by saltwater from Hurricane Helene rising and getting into the garage.
County officials asked EV owners not to park their electric car or bike in the garage and to move them 50 feet away from materials that could spread a fire if the vehicle were to catch on fire. The county officials also encouraged EV owners to have their vehicles inspected before driving them again after Hurricane Helene.
The county officials also said they want to know if anyone left behind an electric vehicle in their garage or a building that they're not able to get to or move.
The Tesla vehicle fire video comes after a recent warning came ahead of the hurricane, as reported by the Associated Press.
Owners of EVs who were in the path of Hurricane Helene were encouraged to move their vehicles to higher ground due to the potential of saltwater causing fires. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was among the officials who encouraged EV owners to move their vehicles ahead of the storm.
Tesla also warns owners of trying to prevent their vehicles from becoming submerged on its website.
"If a submersion event is in the forecast and it is safe for you to move your vehicle, we recommend you attempt to move your vehicle to a location that is not at risk or to higher ground," Tesla says on its website.
Tesla says that if a vehicle is submerged, the owner should treat the vehicle like it has been in an accident, contacting the insurance company. Owners are also told not to drive the vehicle until an authorized shop has inspected the vehicle.
EV owners were also warned to ensure their vehicles were fully charged with anticipated power outages for the region.
Hurricane Ian in 2022 ruined batteries in up to 5,000 electric vehicles, with 36 catching fire, according to the report. Fires from electric vehicles were also reported after Hurricane Idalia hit Florida last year.
Researchers have linked saltwater to the likely cause of the fires, with salt able to conduct electricity.
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Why It's Important: Electric vehicles have been an increasingly popular topic during hurricanes as power outages and the lack of ability to charge the vehicles and the potential fire risks could put others in jeopardy.
Last year, a Florida lawmaker considered legislation to ban electric vehicles from being used during hurricane evacuations due to fear that the vehicles could block traffic during the evacuation process if they run out of battery charge.
While warnings against electric vehicle use during and after a hurricane has increased, images of Cybertruck owners and stories of their survival during the hurricane may show some positive impact.
The Cybertruck's Wade Mode is featured in several social media posts from Cybertruck owners, including several in Florida, as reported by Teslarati. According to Tesla’s website, the Wade Mode “allows Cybertruck to enter and drive through bodies of water, such as rivers or creeks.” The site states warnings for its usage, as well.
The Cybertruck feature could become more of a selling point for the company with new real-life examples of the vehicle making it through areas of the hurricane that weren’t severely hit.
Cybertruck owners were able to drive through some floodwater in their Cybertrucks. Some Cybertruck owners also highlighted the vehicle's PowerShare feature that was able to provide power to their home during the region's power outages.
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