[Noah930]

Nothing to do with the topic at hand, but interesting to us LA car guys, anyway. The car is a lot of fun to drive. I can see how things could get out of hand very quickly in it.

Tesla crash bolsters safety claims after car splits in half | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

Tesla crash bolsters safety claims after car splits in half
12:44 PM, July 5, 2014 | Comments

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A Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy walks past half the remains of a Tesla that wedged between two walls at Congregation Kol Ami synagogue in West Hollywood, Calif. / Associated Press
By Chris Woodyard

USA TODAY

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A stolen Tesla electric car split in two after a fiery crash on a West Hollywood, Calif., street following a police chase at speeds up to 100 miles per hour. There were several injuries in the multi-car crash, but no deaths at the scene, authorities say.

The Tesla Model S apparently split after striking a pole at the end of the chase early Friday, resulting in injuries to several people, according to Los Angeles police statements to KTLA-TV, which captured dramatic video of the event.

The horrific crash could bolster safety claims made last month by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. He told shareholders that no one had died in a Tesla or had a “single permanent injury” despite some dramatic crashes and more than 344 million miles of driving from all the cars on the road. “That is certainly one of our proudest accomplishments,” he said.

KTLA reported that the chase began after a Tesla dealership reported the car was being tampered with on its lot. Photographs of the scene appear to show the Tesla’s rear end wedged between a wall at a synagogue, several dozen feet from the front half, which came to rest next to two other wrecked cars in the middle of the street. From the photograph, it appears Tesla Model S split behind the front seats.

The Model S has a five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration . Safety became an issue earlier this year after two fires were reported in the cars’ battery packs in the U.S. after striking objects on the road. But the company has since taken several steps, including adding additional protection to the battery pack. It also has emphasized that drivers had plenty of time to exit their vehicles and no one was ever injured.