The Phoenix Fireplace Division has launched its report on the Nikola truck fireplace that occurred on the firm’s headquarters final month. Regardless of Nikola shortly claiming that “foul play” was behind the fireplace, the fireplace division says it discovered “no proof in any respect that helps arson.”

The hearth division listed the reason for the fireplace as “undetermined.”

On June 23, we reported on the Phoenix fireplace division confirming that 5 Nikola semitrucks caught on fireplace at its headquarters. The corporate was fast to inform the general public it believed “foul play” was concerned within the fireplace, however it didn’t have loads of proof to again the declare. It solely talked about {that a} car was noticed on the scene previous to the fireplace.

We have been all the time suspicious of Nikola’s declare as a result of “foul play” sounds higher for the corporate than its electrical vans catching on fireplace.

On prime of that, we discovered final week that Nikola had a significant defect within the battery module produced by Romeo Energy for its Tre electrical truck. Battery cells have been being punctured as a part of the welding course of.

Nikola acknowledged that it was conscious of the issue, however it claimed that, based mostly on what Romeo instructed them, it believed that no broken battery module made it right into a Tre truck. The corporate gave the impression to be setting the stage to place the blame on Romeo, though it acquired the battery maker final 12 months.

After we wrote our report, Nikola instructed us that it was nonetheless contemplating the fireplace being intentional as a chance.

Right this moment, Electrek contacted the Phoenix Fireplace Division for an replace in regards to the fireplace’s closing report. The division stated that the reason for the truck fireplace at Nikola’s headquarters was formally declared to be “undetermined.”

However on the similar time, the division stated it hadn’t discovered any proof of arson.

Daniel Cheatham, Phoenix Fireplace Division Fireplace Investigations division chief, instructed Electrek in an electronic mail:

It formally is undetermined. However we don’t have any proof in any respect that helps arson. 

In our report final week, we additionally famous how firm insiders believed it might have been laborious to begin a thermal occasion within the vans with arson because the battery packs have been uncovered to 1,000 diploma Celsius warmth with out damaging them in testing.

Electrek additionally reached out to the Phoenix Police Division, which stated that the case continues to be open on their facet.

When requested if it was resulting from Nikola’s declare of “foul play,” a police spokesperson wrote:

Fireplace [department] determines the reason for method of the fireplace, arson investigators will nonetheless look into any proof out there similar to video survivable, witness suggestions that are available in. General, the investigation will proceed as detectives work with insurance coverage firms as they decide any and all outcomes. When arson investigators full their investigation they are going to decide if legal habits passed off or not. 

Electrek has additionally contacted Nikola for a remark in regards to the fireplace division saying that there’s no proof of arson. We didn’t get a response by the point this was printed. We are going to replace if we get a response.

Replace: a Nikola spokesperson repeated the identical factor as final week about “not ruling out something”.

Electrek’s Take

Once more, I’m not claiming I do know for a truth {that a} battery defect triggered the fireplace. What I’m saying is that we all know for a proven fact that Nikola had a significant defect in battery modules produced by Romeo for its vans, and now we additionally know that the fireplace division has discovered no proof of arson.

You possibly can draw your personal conclusions based mostly on that data.

Don’t shoot the messenger for making that data public. I’ve been attacked fairly a bit by Nikola shareholders after my final article.

Some went so far as claiming that I used to be making up the defect report, which I printed screenshots of, and a few even claimed that I used to be making up responses from Nikola representatives. After all, I perceive that this comes from their bias as traders, however earlier than attacking somebody for writing stuff you don’t prefer to learn, it is best to actually steadiness the laborious info for a second as a substitute of assuming intentions.

I’ve no unhealthy intentions behind this reporting. I consider in electrical vans, however I additionally consider that the one method they are going to reach changing diesel vans is by making them aggressive and secure. You possibly can’t obtain that by reducing corners. It’s vital to report on points like this one to ensure the very best stage of security doable is achieved.