Tesla Says Faulty Battery Module Caused Chinese Model S To Combust

Remember that Tesla Model S that spontaneously burst into flames while sitting in a Shanghai parking lot two months ago? Tesla announced that an isolated battery fault was the cause.

Tesla investigated the incident in cooperation with experts and executives from China and the U.S., revealing that there was a malfunction with a single battery module at the front of the vehicle, and that there was no “systematic defect” with the car.

The investigation also found that the vehicle’s battery safety system worked as expected, helping in keeping the rest of the battery pack intact, Bloomberg reports. “Anyone inside the cabin would have had time to exit safely,” Tesla said in its announcement.

Also Read: Tesla Model S Seems To Self-Combust While Sitting In A Parking Lot

Back in April, a white Tesla Model S burst into flames while being parked, with video footage from the lot’s security camera showing smoke coming out from under the car before massive flames take over. No one was hurt from the incident while the car, which was not charging at the time, was completely destroyed from the blaze.

Tesla’s findings follow a recall issued by Chinese competitor Nio for about 4,800 cars due to battery-safety issues. A string of fire-related incidents involving both Tesla and Nio prompted the Chinese authorities to order car makers to check their battery-electric vehicles.

The Palo Alto-based car maker is currently building a new Gigafactory in Shanghai that’s expected to start production of vehicles and battery modules for the local market as early as this year.