In a recent development, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into a collision and subsequent fire involving a Tesla Semi electric truck. The crash, which occurred on California's Interstate 80 west of Lake Tahoe, resulted in the closure of a significant part of the highway for a staggering 15 hours. Preliminary findings from the NTSB state that it took the efforts of CAL Fire, along with 50,000 gallons of water, to extinguish the flames.

According to the NTSB report, the Tesla Semi truck, operated by one of the company's employees, was en route from a warehouse in Livermore, California to the Tesla battery factory in Sparks, Nevada. Tragically, the collision prompted a massive fire that required the deployment of aircraft to drop fire retardant from above. However, CAL Fire's efforts successfully prevented the fire from spreading beyond the immediate crash site and also cooled down the vehicle's massive battery, mitigating the risk of reignition.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk first unveiled the innovative design of the Semi trucks back in November 2017, but the company is currently in the pilot production stage. Tesla aims to commence high-volume production of these fully electric trucks by the end of 2025, as confirmed in their second-quarter earnings report in July.

The NTSB report further confirmed that at the time of the collision and subsequent fire, Tesla's driver-assistance systems, marketed as Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in the United States, were not in operation. The investigation by the NTSB aims to determine the cause of the incident and shed light on any potential implications for the safety of Tesla's vehicles.

CNBC reached out to Tesla for comment regarding the incident, but the company has yet to respond. With ongoing investigations by the NTSB, the incident serves as a reminder of the importance of understanding the potential risks and safety measures associated with emerging electric vehicle technologies.

As the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen how this incident will impact the future production and adoption of Tesla Semi trucks, as well as the broader conversation around the safety of electric vehicles on our roadways.