Since the beginning, the Tesla Cybertruck has been a hot topic, and maybe no comments have led to more talks or doubting than the ones where Elon Musk boldly declared that the out-of-this-world electric truck might be used as a watercraft as well. Through a series of extreme and somewhat bizarre events, going from the over-the-top tweets, to the actual mishaps, the story of the infamous ‘boat mode’ of the Cybertruck is practically a case study one can refer to when talking about the conflicts between a marketing campaign and the technical challenges of an engineering project.
The Cybertruck “Boat Mode” Promise
Elon Musk is known to be very dramatic in his predictions, but when he said that the Cybertruck would be “waterproof enough to briefly function as a boat”, a lot of people all over the world were surprised. He went on to say that it would be able to “float” over rivers, lakes, and even the 1,100-foot channel at SpaceX’s Starbase in Texas. Just based on the specs, it was a simple concept: with the stainless steel frame and sealed undercarriage, the Cybertruck might actually be able to not only stay afloat but also move across the calm water.
Tesla engineers had really committed to the concept with a “wade mode” feature that lifts the vehicle and seals the battery pack to allow it to cross a short stretch of water. However, Tesla has also considered a “Boat Mode” as a water-resistance aid with maybe a propulsion function as well.
Testing the Waters: Owners Take the Plunge
Just after the release of Cybertrucks, owners didn’t wait a moment before they started to see what kind of crazy things they could do with the trucks without being noticed. People had already put online the videos of them driving those trucks through flooded streets and streams with low water levels. In lab tests, Wade mode was found to be functioning, allowing the vehicle to be briefly driven in water almost up to the windows.
Still, the space between curiosity and trouble turned out to be very small. One single owner in Truckee, California, tried to ford a river in wade mode, but he was soon stuck in mud, showing that staying afloat is one thing—controlling the vehicle is another. At Ventura, California, the situation changed for the worse when a Cybertruck plunged into eight feet of harbor water at the release of a jet ski. The vehicle went fully under, causing a rescue operation involving divers, firefighters, and Tesla staff.
The Risks Beneath the Surface
It’s not only difficult to make a 6,500-pound electric truck float—having it do so is dangerous. The stainless steel chassis and sealed belly are helpful, but the greatest risk is the huge lithium-ion battery. Full submersion could make it fail, cause it to catch fire, or release poisonous gases. In the wake of the Ventura accident, safety teams collaborated with Tesla engineers to drag the vehicle slowly, with a broad safety perimeter established and a lookout for indications of battery problems.
Tesla’s own alerts are unambiguous: flooding caused by submersion or off-road accidents is not covered by warranty. Owners should raise the suspension and drop the charge of the battery if it’s going to flood, according to the company. But should there be smoke, fire, or unusual sounds following a plunge, the recommendation is straightforward—escape and summon emergency services.
Regulatory and Industry Realities
Despite Musk’s big claims, the Cybertruck hasn’t been given the green light as a water-resistant vehicle by U.S. authorities. EV batteries may be sealed as tightly as possible; however, experts are saying that cars and boats have quite different safety procedures. In particular, the risk of a car being immersed in water for a long time or being exposed to high-pressure water still exists, and as yet, the boat mode of the Cybertruck has not been certified.
That hasn’t prevented third-party firms from jumping into the breach with their own amphibious packages, such as flotation aids and outboard motors. But as Tesla doesn’t endorse these accessories, they also pose their own safety and liability issues.
The Future of Amphibious EVs
With just how many Cybertruck reservations there are from all over the world, it is clear that people want to know what Tesla’s new radical concepts are. Tesla has always been a maverick in the field, challenging the automakers to raise the bar for EVs. Yet, the tale of the Cybertruck’s boat mode is just that, a reminder that physics is still the boss when it comes to marketing. At least for the moment, an electric truck that can transform into a boat is still a dream rather than a reality – a sight to be enjoyed, but watched carefully and respected.
