An insurance company wanted to prove that Tesla batteries catch on fire and performed a test without the battery. Yes, you read that right. Axa Insurance put on a show marketed as a crash test and admitted to 24auto.de that there were no batteries in the tested videos.
you can’t make this up:
insurer @AXA tries demonstrating the 🔥 dangers of EVs.
a Tesla Model S goes up in flames – but the battery had been removed beforehand.
how did it burn then? 🤔
why, the car was set ablaze by pyrotechnics, of course 🧨🤷♂️— stekkerauto 🚗⚡️ (@stekkerauto) August 30, 2022
According to a statement by the Axa, EVs can pose a risk of fire due to the batteries. However, Axa chose to perform these tests ‘proving’ it by not including the batteries. Instead, they set the car on fire in a different way.
Axa told 24auto.de that it would have been too dangerous to demonstrate an actual battery fire so they removed the battery cells before the tests. This same reasoning applied to their decision to ignite the fire of a Tesla Model S with pyrotechnics.
“For safety reasons, it was not possible to ignite a real battery fire at an event with around 500 people, which is why a fire with pyrotechnics was staged.”
“We wanted to use the fire the accident researchers: on the one hand point out the danger of a cell fire, which can result from damage to the underside of the electric car, and on the other hand point out the problems with fires in electric vehicles in general. Fortunately, fires are very rare in electric cars as well as in conventional combustion engines. In the rare case of a battery fire, so-called thermal runaways can.”
Michael Pfäffli, head of accident research at AXA Switzerland, said that the high torque found in most EVs could result in unwanted, jerky acceleration and loss of control. During the crash test, it was assumed that the driver would lose control of the Tesla which would then roll over on a traffic island.
After the crash, Axa noted that the passenger side was intact but the underbody was badly damaged. Axa researchers also noted that the drive battery was very well protected but could still pose a fire hazard.
The photo provided by Axa and the videos made available to the media show the EV on fire. pic.twitter.com/E2NTqCnSZ1
— stekkerauto 🚗⚡️ (@stekkerauto) August 30, 2022
I have so many questions…
How can you claim that something catches on fire and then do a test without that object? And honestly, anything will catch on fire if you set it on fire. Except for water unless the water is contaminated with something flammable.
In my opinion, this so-called test combined with the claim that fires are rare with conventional combustible engines is just FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt).
Another question. How is it legal for any company to openly test a vehicle in this manner on public roads? If they were worried about safety, they shouldn’t be testing and setting cars on fire in places where innocent people could get hurt. Did they have a permit or some type of agency approval for testing?
Tesla owners get criticized for using Full Self-Driving Beta but it’s okay for insurance companies to stage car fires on public roads?
One last question. Would Axa have come out and admitted that this whole thing was staged if 24auto.de hadn’t asked them? They presented the photo to the media which would have harmed Tesla’s reputation. So the question has to be asked, what were Axa’s real motives here?
Note: Johnna is a Tesla shareholder and supports its mission.
Your feedback is important. If you have any comments, concerns, or see a typo, you can email me at johnna@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @JohnnaCrider1
Elon Musk
Why Tesla’s Q3 could be one of its biggest quarters in history
Tesla could stand to benefit from the removal of the $7,500 EV tax credit at the end of Q3.
Tesla has gotten off to a slow start in 2025, as the first half of the year has not been one to remember from a delivery perspective.
However, Q3 could end up being one of the best the company has had in history, with the United States potentially being a major contributor to what might reverse a slow start to the year.
Earlier today, the United States’ House of Representatives officially passed President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” after it made its way through the Senate earlier this week. The bill will head to President Trump, as he looks to sign it before his July 4 deadline.
The Bill will effectively bring closure to the $7,500 EV tax credit, which will end on September 30, 2025. This means, over the next three months in the United States, those who are looking to buy an EV will have their last chance to take advantage of the credit. EVs will then be, for most people, $7,500 more expensive, in essence.
The tax credit is available to any single filer who makes under $150,000 per year, $225,000 a year to a head of household, and $300,000 to couples filing jointly.
Ending the tax credit was expected with the Trump administration, as his policies have leaned significantly toward reliance on fossil fuels, ending what he calls an “EV mandate.” He has used this phrase several times in disagreements with Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Nevertheless, those who have been on the fence about buying a Tesla, or any EV, for that matter, will have some decisions to make in the next three months. While all companies will stand to benefit from this time crunch, Tesla could be the true winner because of its sheer volume.
If things are done correctly, meaning if Tesla can also offer incentives like 0% APR, special pricing on leasing or financing, or other advantages (like free Red, White, and Blue for a short period of time in celebration of Independence Day), it could see some real volume in sales this quarter.
You can now buy a Tesla in Red, White, and Blue for free until July 14 https://t.co/iAwhaRFOH0
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 3, 2025
Tesla is just a shade under 721,000 deliveries for the year, so it’s on pace for roughly 1.4 million for 2025. This would be a decrease from the 1.8 million cars it delivered in each of the last two years. Traditionally, the second half of the year has produced Tesla’s strongest quarters. Its top three quarters in terms of deliveries are Q4 2024 with 495,570 vehicles, Q4 2023 with 484,507 vehicles, and Q3 2024 with 462,890 vehicles.
Elon Musk
Tesla Full Self-Driving testing continues European expansion: here’s where
Tesla has launched Full Self-Driving testing in a fifth European country ahead of its launch.
Tesla Full Self-Driving is being tested in several countries across Europe as the company prepares to launch its driver assistance suite on the continent.
The company is still working through the regulatory hurdles with the European Union. They are plentiful and difficult to navigate, but Tesla is still making progress as its testing of FSD continues to expand.
Today, it officially began testing in a new country, as more regions open their doors to Tesla. Many owners and potential customers in Europe are awaiting its launch.
On Thursday, Tesla officially confirmed that Full Self-Driving testing is underway in Spain, as the company shared an extensive video of a trip through the streets of Madrid:
Como pez en el agua …
FSD Supervised testing in Madrid, Spain
Pending regulatory approval pic.twitter.com/txTgoWseuA
— Tesla Europe & Middle East (@teslaeurope) July 3, 2025
The launch of Full Self-Driving testing in Spain marks the fifth country in which Tesla has started assessing the suite’s performance in the European market.
Across the past several months, Tesla has been expanding the scope of countries where Full Self-Driving is being tested. It has already made it to Italy, France, the Netherlands, and Germany previously.
Tesla has already filed applications to have Full Self-Driving (Supervised) launched across the European Union, but CEO Elon Musk has indicated that this particular step has been the delay in the official launch of the suite thus far.
In mid-June, Musk revealed the frustrations Tesla has felt during its efforts to launch its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) suite in Europe, stating that the holdup can be attributed to authorities in various countries, as well as the EU as a whole:
Tesla Full Self-Driving’s European launch frustrations revealed by Elon Musk
“Waiting for Dutch authorities and then the EU to approve. Very frustrating and hurts the safety of people in Europe, as driving with advanced Autopilot on results in four times fewer injuries! Please ask your governing authorities to accelerate making Tesla safer in Europe.”
Waiting for Dutch authorities and then the EU to approve.
Very frustrating and hurts the safety of people in Europe, as driving with advanced Autopilot on results in four times fewer injuries!
Please ask your governing authorities to accelerate making Tesla safer in Europe. https://t.co/QIYCXhhaQp
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 11, 2025
Tesla said last year that it planned to launch Full Self-Driving in Europe in 2025.
Elon Musk
xAI’s Memphis data center receives air permit despite community criticism
xAI welcomed the development in a post on its official xAI Memphis account on X.
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI has secured an air permit from Memphis health officials for its data center project, despite critics’ opposition and pending legal action. The Shelby County Health Department approved the permit this week, allowing xAI to operate 15 mobile gas turbines at its facility.
Air permit granted
The air permit comes after months of protests from Memphis residents and environmental justice advocates, who alleged that xAI violated the Clean Air Act by operating gas turbines without prior approval, as per a report from WIRED.
The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) and the NAACP has claimed that xAI installed dozens of gas turbines at its new data campus without acquiring the mandatory Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permit required for large-scale emission sources.
Local officials previously stated the turbines were considered “temporary” and thus not subject to stricter permitting. xAI applied for an air permit in January 2025, and in June, Memphis Mayor Paul Young acknowledged that the company was operating 21 turbines. SELC, however, has claimed that aerial footage shows the number may be as high as 35.
Critics are not giving up
Civil rights groups have stated that they intend to move forward with legal action. “xAI’s decision to install and operate dozens of polluting gas turbines without any permits or public oversight is a clear violation of the Clean Air Act,” said Patrick Anderson, senior attorney at SELC.
“Over the last year, these turbines have pumped out pollution that threatens the health of Memphis families. This notice paves the way for a lawsuit that can hold xAI accountable for its unlawful refusal to get permits for its gas turbines,” he added.
Sharon Wilson, a certified optical gas imaging thermographer, also described the emissions cloud in Memphis as notable. “I expected to see the typical power plant type of pollution that I see. What I saw was way worse than what I expected,” she said.
Why Tesla’s Q3 could be one of its biggest quarters in history
Tesla Full Self-Driving testing continues European expansion: here’s where
xAI’s Memphis data center receives air permit despite community criticism
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