‘I Would Not Feel Safe In an Electric Car': Tesla Driver Gets Caught On the Freeway in Flood. So Why Is She Grateful?
'4 hours of this...'
A Tesla driver hailed her car after driving it through heavy road flooding, prompting debate on the safety of electric vehicles traveling in water. TikTok user Maryam (@maryambajwaaa) shared footage of the scary situation in a clip that garnered more than 1.1 million views on the popular social media application.
Maryam’s video begins with a recording of a severely flooded highway. A red Toyota Camry is in front of her and in the distance, the red and blue flashing of what appears to be a police officer’s squad car can be seen in the distance. As she slowly drives through the flood, a caption is displayed on the screen of her social media post. “Never loved the Tesla as much as I did today,” it reads.
Further information she provided in the TikTok’s caption also suggests that her Tesla’s storm-braving capabilities consistently came in handy.
“4 hours of this misery,” she penned.
Do Teslas Handle the Rain Well?
Numerous folks who replied to Maryam’s video expressed differing opinions on the competence Teslas possess when wading through large masses of water. “An electric car in water?” one person on the app wrote.
“I would not feel safe in an electric car surrounded by water,” someone else chimed in.
But there were others who extolled the aqua-braving prowess of Tesla vehicles. One person replied that the American electric car brand is a much better option when driving through flooding than internal combustion engine counterparts. “Gas car water engine done! Tesla battery are air tight! You don’t have to worry about water getting in the engine!” they said.
Another remarked, “They are saying that they love the tesla because it doesn’t flood, for the newer models the water has to go above the mirrors to flood it.”
Someone else penned that most electric vehicles are capable water treaders due to their drivetrains. “Comments gotta lock in EV’s are ONE of the best for this situation because it’s sealed to avoid any water damage and instant torque,” they wrote.
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Which was a sentiment echoed by someone else. “For people who don’t get it: Teslas work well in floods because the battery is air tight so no water can get in. I can confirm as I have done it,” they said.
And there were several more who referenced the “air tight” nature of Tesla and other EVs. “Tesla batteries are air tight. Water does not penetrate them, making them tanks in floods. Elite level cars right now,” one TikTok user replied.
“Y’all Teslas are waterproof and built to withstand extreme weather,” another stated.
Tesla’s Boat Claims
Elon Musk has claimed for years that Teslas could temporarily function as boats in a pinch. In a 2016 X (formerly Twitter) post, he wrote that while the automaker doesn’t “recommend this…[that the] Model S floats well enough to turn it into a boat for short periods of time. Thrust via wheel rotation.”
Furthermore prior to the Cybertruck’s launch Musk also reiterated this aquatic travel claim, stating that the truck would “be waterproof enough to serve briefly as a boat.”
There was even talk of the stainless steel polygonal vehicle’s “boat mode” which would theoretically allow people to cross bodies of water.
Musk even referenced a specific H20 itinerary he wanted the Cybertruck to make: From South Padre Island, to the SpaceX Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas. He even suggested attaching “an electric propeller mounted on the [Cybertruck’s] tow hitch to go faster than a few knots.” Moreover, he stated that attaching wheel hubs to the truck better suited to water travel might assist in “generat[ing] meaningful thrust” so the Cybertruck could travel faster across water.
Teslas And EVs Are Better In Water
For now, bypassing NYC traffic by dunking your Tesla into the Hudson river from Edgewater, New Jersey and pulling up to Riverbank State Park isn’t viable.
However, many have written about how much more capable electric vehicles are than their gas-powered counterparts when it comes to braving high water levels.
InsideEVs previously reported on footage of a Tesla Model 3 blasting through heavy flooding back in 2023. The car cracks a left turn into H20 levels that reach midway through its front wheel wells. Brown liquid cascades off the front of the car during the news report and the vehicle barrels down the road, out of the flooding and onto the road.
Because EVs don’t have air intakes or exhaust pipes that can be filled/clogged with water, they’re better equipped at handling heavy precipitation than gas-powered vehicles. Furthermore, the added weight of massive lithium-ion battery packs in EVs help to anchor cars to the road and front floating away.
EV Vehicle Lab echoed this aforementioned point of fundamental electric vehicle design. Additionally, the outlet reported that the sealed battery packs are effectively weather-proofed, which prevents water damage. And even if severe flooding does manage to make a Tesla float, the car’s electric motors should provide capability for propulsion. The same article mentions that “Tesla vehicles can float on water for a short time and use their wheel rotation for propulsion.”
Although, the piece goes on to state that this usage is “not recommended and does not cover the [car’s] warranty.” Plus, there’s flotsam and jetsam to worry about, which could potentially strike a car’s battery and damage it, or turn the vehicle upside down.
Tesla + Water Hazards
EV Vehicle Lab does also state that Teslas “are well-sealed and do not have any openings that can let water in.” This, in theory, allows the vehicles to become temporary life boats in the event of an emergency. But that doesn’t mean these EVs are impenetrable when it comes to water, or can’t be subjected to any potential damage.
There’s “corrosion, mold, fire hazards, and electrocution risks if water gets into the modules or the battery pack,” the aforementioned website writes.
Unfortunately, there’s been real-world proof that utilizing Teslas as water champions isn’t always a sure bet. Like this Cybertruck user who learned that “Wade Mode isn’t Submarine Mode.” And then there was this YouTuber who put the vehicle’s Wade Mode to the test, which resulted in some damage, too.
Tesla also provides some helpful tips on its website for folks who are preparing for flooding. The brand’s “Submerged Vehicle Guidance” writeup can be found here.
InsideEVs has reached out to Maryam via TikTok comment for further information.
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