A Tesla Model Y caught fire in North Vancouver back in May of this year, an incident which made international headlines after the power was cut off leaving the driver to kick out the window to get out of the vehicle.
Soon after the incident Transport Canada took possession of the burnt-out Model Y, inviting Tesla and others to participate in a joint inspection to try and determine a cause.
Many were quick to suspect the high voltage battery was the cause, but this appeared to be unlikely as the fire was slow to start and the fire department was able to quickly get it under control, something which typically doesn’t happen with a battery fire.
Transport Canada has now confirmed with Drive Tesla that following two joint inspections by their own inspectors and contracted investigators, representatives from Tesla, officials from ICBC (the provincial insurer), engineering consultants for ICBC, and a City of North Vancouver Fire Department investigator who attended the first inspection, the high voltage battery in the Model Y has been ruled out as a possible cause.
The exact cause has not been determined, but the investigation has thus far confirmed the fire started in the left half of the dashboard, more specifically “in the vicinity of the left body control module,” Transport Canada explained.
This corroborates what the owner of the Model Y, Jamil Jutha, told us in an exclusive interview earlier this year, that he first noticed smoke coming out of the driver’s side vent.
Transport Canada tells us that their investigation is ongoing, with their focus now shifting to this area of the car, adding that “several components of interest from under the instrument panel have been removed for in-depth examination.”
Those parts include the left body control module and the steering column assembly. The car’s computer was also removed as it may contain recorded data that may assist in the investigation.
Transport Canada did not have a timeline for when the investigation will be completed, adding that they are not aware of any other similar incidents at this time.
