Cybertruck owners can rest easy when approaching water but they might want to check their tailgate controls afterward
The Tesla Cybertruck is about as polarizing as a vehicle can get, yet at the same time, people can’t seem to get enough of it. Some of that attention comes from the various claims surrounding it, often started by Elon Musk himself. Now, a third party is testing just how capable it is of driving through very deep water. The answer turns out to be an almost completely positive one.
This test is interesting as Tesla‘s boss once proposed that the Cybertruck would be capable of being a ‘boat’ for short periods of time. According to Musk, it should be able to go through rivers, lakes, and “even seas that aren’t too choppy.” Thus, a flooded road should be no issue at all. Right?
After all, the Cybertruck has a dedicated “Wade Mode” which is only accessible after putting the truck in off-road mode. Then, it can take up to 10 minutes for the electric pickup to pressurize the battery pack for deep water. Once engaged, it lasts a maximum of 30 minutes before automatically disengaging. On top of that, damage done in Wade Mode isn’t covered by Tesla’s warranty.
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That said, it appears as though the Cybertruck handles deep water quite admirably as the folks over at the TechRax YouTube channel found out. It managed to make several water crossings at various depths without any sort of drive loss or struggle. In at least one case the water rises high enough that it’s above the front of the hood.
Some issues arose
The test wasn’t a complete success, however. The presenters first mentioned that two plastic pieces shifted from their intended positions. Initially, the inner fender liner in one wheel well flipped inside out but was easily rectified. Secondly, a section of the rear bumper cover also dislodged during testing. There’s no update on whether it was as easily fixable as the liner. Lastly, and perhaps more significantly, the push-button controls for the tonneau cover and tailgate ceased functioning after the test.
Hopefully, future videos (which are bound to surface given the popularity of anything Tesla, particularly the Cybertruck) will shed light on whether this was an isolated incident or a widespread issue.