"minor fender benders"

The second crash in Mexico definitely was not. “This was a significant accident where the car was traveling at such a high speed that it smashed through a concrete wall and then hit a large tree, yet the driver walked away from the car with no permanent injury.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-28/tesla-says-model-s-...

> minor fender benders

Where did it say this was a "minor fender bender"? This article doesn't have much detail, but the first fire was a result of a large chunk of metal on the road levering up and stabbing into the engine compartment. I have no doubt that the exact same incidence with a gas-powered car could have had a significantly worse result than the contained fire the Tesla experienced.

Given the fact that the article is vague, you should definitely "have doubt", but you're right; I was thinking about the first crash. I overstated that by a mile.