Following a thorough investigation by the Phoenix Fire Department into the recent battery electric truck fires involving Nikola Tre vehicles, the cause of the fires has been officially declared as “undetermined.” The department, in response to inquiries from Electrek, stated that there is no evidence supporting the suspicion of arson.
Daniel Cheatham, the division chief of the City of Phoenix’s Fire Investigations Task Force, affirmed the findings in an email to the online publication, stating, “It officially is undetermined. But we do not have any evidence at all that supports arson.”
Nikola had initially expressed concerns of “foul play” when the Class 8 semi trucks caught fire near their headquarters in Phoenix. The company released a statement on Twitter suggesting the presence of a suspicious vehicle in the vicinity before the incidents occurred.
Simultaneously, the Phoenix Police Department continues to investigate the matter, examining video footage and witness testimonies. A police spokesperson assured Electrek that the investigation remains ongoing and will involve collaboration with insurance companies to determine all possible outcomes. Once the arson investigators conclude their investigation, a determination regarding criminal behavior will be made.
Internal documents leaked last month, however, shed light on a potential issue with the truck’s battery pack. The documents indicate that laser welding might puncture certain cells within a module, leading to cell corrosion after just two test cycles and potentially causing excessive heat generation.
Nikola responded to these revelations, stating that the affected battery packs were not incorporated into the production semis. Both the company’s internal engineering team and an external third-party team have launched investigations to identify the root cause of the fires. The results of these investigations are expected to be released in the coming weeks.
The Class 8 Nikola Tre semi, manufactured in Coolidge, Arizona, and based on the Iveco platform, boasts an impressive estimated driving range of 330 miles. Equipped with a substantial 733-kilowatt-hour battery pack, the truck can charge up to 80 percent capacity in just 90 minutes at 350 kW.
