Turns out the $800,000 warehouse fire suffered by Neil Young that we reported on last week was caused by the recording artist’s one-off LincVolt hybrid vehicle.
One-off LincVolt hybrid
Enlarge Photowas caused by the recording artist’s one-off LincVolt hybrid vehicle. The LincVolt isn’t a production model but a custom ride based on a 1959 Lincoln Continental packed with an electric motor, an array of batteries and a diesel-powered generator.According to fire officials, the flames started in the LincVolt and then spread to the rest of the warehouse and in the process engulfed hordes of memorabilia including guitars, photos, film canisters and crates of musical equipment. Thanks to the efforts of firefighters on the day of the incident, November 10, roughly 70 percent of Young’s possessions were saved--including six other cars.
Young originally commissioned the LincVolt back in 2008 and documented its development in a four-part film series.
While the exact cause of the fire is still being investigated, it’s thought that the fire was caused by a faulty component in the charging system. Investigators are now looking at the car’s computer to see if the exact cause can be found, and who knows, once solved the LincVolt may eventually roll again.
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