Model S is using NCA (Nickel Cobalt Aluminum). It's not clear if the stock Panasonic batteries have the same battery chemistry (they might but Panasonic doesn't share their battery chemistry), but we do know that the Tesla batteries are not exactly stock Panasonic batteries. They have casing modifications made to them for Tesla's purposes.
Every article I've seen about the battery says that it doesn't use the usual chemistry, and that only the form factor is standard. I figured you would have something factual to say, given that you're saying you know it's dangerous.
All the information I've seen says they use stock Panasonic NCR-18650A lithium ion batteries just like clumsysmurf said. (The "A" just means that it's the 3100mAH nominal capacity version - there are several NCR-18650 batteries with different capacities.)
It's a fairly common 18650 battery, lots of laptops use this specific model.
I'm not sure what you are trying to do - but I almost fell for it.
First, I specifically stated "3100mAH NCR-18650s" which is a specific part, not a form factor which anyone who handles these batteries would know - which was your first (confused) reply.
Second, from everywhere I have read, like (1) these are just standard cells.
Lastly, I was originally stating that I would feel unsafe being around this technology. I did not say "the technology is unsafe."
If it makes you feel better, Tesla as a company gives me great hope and I am rooting for them. I do not have ties to anyone at all.
It would have been nice if you could have simply pointed to some factual reason (like breser did above) why I shouldn't be worried.
It would be better if you gave a reason why you should be worried. That casing is about as fireproof as it gets and those model-s incidents where there was a fire the occupants made it out without so much as a singed hair on their legs.
I'm sure given the 'right' conditions you could get a catastrophic release of energy out of a pack this size but I'm fairly certain that the occupants of the car would not be in a state where they would realize that the battery had also exploded since they'd be too distracted by evaporating themselves.
