update 5-tesla reports third fire involving model s electric car - small lithium ion battery

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Ben Clement and Bernie Woodell Detroit, November 7 (Reuters)-
Tesla Motors reported for the third time that luxury electric vehicles in its model fell 9% in six weeks, this time after a road traffic accident in Tennessee.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol said the 2013 sedan hit the vehicle's chassis in an electrical fire on Interstate 24 on Wednesday.
A Highway Patrol dispatcher said the car was "seriously damaged ".
"The S-type chassis has an armor layer that protects the lithium of the battery pack-ion cells.
Tesla said that it does not know whether the fire is related to the car battery.
The first Model S fire occurred on October.
1 near Seattle, when the car collided with a large piece of metal debris on the road, the fragments made a hole through the protective deck.
After the first fire, officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said they had not found any evidence that the vehicle was defective.
Later this month, a second fire broke out in Merida, Mexico, and it was reported that a car hit a concrete wall and hit a tree through a roundabout.
Tesla Motor Club has photos of the latest fire on its website, and a company spokesman confirmed that the accident occurred in Smyrna, Tennessee, where Nissan Motor Co. produced Leaf electric vehicles.
While none of Tesla's drivers were injured in the accident, for a company whose share price soared six times in the first nine months of this year, the apparent headlines about the fire were unpopular.
Tesla's share price has fallen more than 27% since the first fire, and this week's decline is the worst --
The week has fallen since May 2012.
"For a company whose share price is based on image rather than finance, these recurring headlines are extremely disruptive," said Carl Brewer, senior analyst at Kelly's Blue Book . ".
Adam Jonas, an analyst at Morgan Stanley, said the United States may conduct a formal investigation. S.
Safety regulators may
In terms of cost, image and production disruption, there is a higher level of attention to the word.
Tesla said it had contacted the driver of Wednesday's accident, who was not injured.
According to the Highway Patrol, the car was driven by Juris Shibayama, 38, Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Shibayama could not be reached for comment.
Tesla spokesman Elizabeth Jarvis said: "Our team is going to Tennessee to learn more about the accident . "
She said in a statement.
"We will provide more information when we can do this.
Tesla's battery pack consists of small lithium batteries.
The laptop also uses ion batteries, which are not used by other car manufacturers.
The battery pack extends to the bottom of the vehicle.
In contrast, GM uses large
Format the battery in T-
Shape of Chevrolet Volt plug Center-in hybrid car.
Other automakers have dealt with the I-including General Motors and Mitsubishi Motors-MiEV.
The highway patrol report did not say how fast the Tesla Model S was traveling in Tennessee, but the driver was able to drive out of the road.
A woman answered the phone in the parking lot where the car was towed away, saying Tesla officials had arrived Thursday morning and were checking the vehicle.
Tesla predicted a weaker economy on Tuesday. than-Expected Fourth
Third Quarter Profit
Quarterly Model delivery disappointed some analysts.
In the previous accident, neither driver was injured, and in the three accidents, the company said the owner had asked for a replacement.
Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk defended the safety of electric vehicles after the first fire.
"For consumers concerned about the risk of fire, there is no doubt that it is safer to use batteries to power cars than conventional gasoline --
He said in a blog post.
Company executives say the first fire was a "very rare event" that could have been caused by curved metal objects from half
The trailer and the car that hit the bottom are in a "pole. vault effect.
"At the time, Musk did not say whether Tesla would make any changes to the Model S battery design because of the first accident. Jarvis-
When asked if such a change was considered, Shean did not comment immediately.
Gasoline engines are dangerous, but Americans have learned to live with them over the years, said Tom Gage, a former CEO of AC Propulsion, who developed a drive train, a sports car for Tesla's first model.
"Obviously, gasoline is easier to ignite than batteries and burn harder, but the tank in the car now benefits from a fairly intensive development in 120 and government regulation on how to ensure the safety of the car, "he said.
Gage, who is now the CEO of electric vehicle power grid, is committed to integrating electric vehicle batteries with grid systems, said Tesla could consider increasing the battery in the car or further strengthening it.
Tesla shares fell to $137.
At 62 on Nasdaq, $10 fell. 17, or 6.
$ 7%, $140.
Afternoon trading 99(
Dr. Dipa Seetharaman added the report.
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