Tesla’s new electric Semi was involved in a crash earlier this week that killed two people, the first known fatal accident involving the carmaker’s newest model, which just went into regular production this year.
According to reports from the Nevada Highway Patrol and Lyon County Sheriff’s Department, the 10-ton Tesla truck slammed into a small, vintage Volkswagen Beetle at an intersection on U.S. 50 in Dayton, Nevada, around 7:20 a.m. local time. Both occupants of the Beetle, who aren’t identified in the initial reports, died from injuries resulting from the crash, Trooper James LaRose told Forbes. The driver of the Tesla truck wasn’t injured.
The cause of the accident, which took place about 30 miles southwest of Tesla’s Nevada Gigafactory, which builds the Semi, hasn’t yet been determined, LaRose said. However, a Facebook post by the Sheriff’s Department said, “preliminary statements obtained at the scene suggest the driver of the semi may have fallen asleep.”
Tesla is counting on the Semi to expand its vehicle sales beyond the consumer market and to take on diesel trucking giants such as Kenworth, Volvo and Daimler with an electric model capable of hauling 60,000-pound loads up to 500 miles per charge. The company hasn’t yet disclosed Semi sales so far this year, but may include them in a quarterly release expected on July 2.
The company says the truck is equipped with the latest safety features, including 10 cameras to monitor its surroundings and, according to media reports, a driver-monitoring system. Typically, such systems are designed to detect when the person at the wheel is distracted or sleeping. “Semi comes standard with active safety features that pair with advanced motor and brake controls to deliver traction and stability in all conditions,” according to Tesla’s website.
Tesla didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the crash.
The Highway Patrol’s LaRose wasn’t able to confirm whether the Tesla was hauling a load at the time of the accident. Fully loaded, the electric cab and trailer can weigh up to 82,000 pounds – 40 times the VW’s weight.
The crash shut down a portion of U.S. 50 for about two hours, according to police. Investigators expect to provide further details early next week, LaRose said. The crash was reported earlier by The Record-Courier of Minden, Nevada, and local news site CarsonNow.