A Tesla Semi caught fire on Interstate 880 in Hayward, California, on Tuesday evening with no crash. The electric truck's lithium-ion battery burned long enough to keep the southbound freeway closed for about 10 hours. The driver escaped unhurt.
Class 8 electric truck fires on their own, in traffic, are a growing concern for Tesla and its expanding customer base. The fire broke out at around 5:35 p.m. PT near Route 92. CHP Hayward closed I-880 in both directions due to "the potential risk of hazardous chemical smoke." Northbound lanes reopened Tuesday night, but southbound remained closed much longer.
Crews eventually reopened all lanes around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday. Photos from the scene show firefighters laying foam around the burned-out tractor. The truck's operator has not been identified, and Tesla has not commented.
This incident marks the second Tesla Semi fire to close a California interstate in about two years. In August 2024, a Semi caught fire on I-80 near Emigrant Gap. That crash involved a tree impact, but this Hayward fire occurred without a collision.
With volume production only starting this year, the timing is inopportune. Watt EV ordered 370 Semis in May for drayage at the Port of Oakland, and Tesla was named lead supplier on a 2,500-truck ZET SCALE order in September. Industry data shows large-truck fires are common, with an average of 15,462 per year in the US, mostly diesel.
However, with a small Semi fleet, one fire without a crash is a significant data point. The cause remains under investigation.
Source: Hacker News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing