Earlier tonight on Twitter, user Batflyer asked Elon Musk if he’d thought about the Cybertruck’s wading depth. He wanted to know if he could cross streams without damaging the truck. Elon’s responses was something to celebrate, especially for those of us living in Louisiana, in a place where we sometimes bear the brunt of hurricanes.
Yes. It will even float for a while.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 20, 2020
I had to re-read his reply a few times because it sounded unbelievable. Every time it rains here, many of the streets get flooded quickly, and I’ve actually walked through a flash flood once here. It wasn’t planned — it wasn’t even raining when I was walking. It came out of nowhere. I am grateful that I know how to swim. It seems, that Elon and Tesla have enabled the Cybertruck with this knowledge as well.
I mean, the Cybertruck isn’t about to sprout fins and go on deep dives, but if you are facing a sudden and raging flash flood, it’s comforting to know that your vehicle will float safely. Other important questions to consider that were posed by many fans and Tesla owners include:
“Is the exoskeleton architecture air/water tight?” —Ajtourville
“Like flood mode?” —PPathole
“How long is ‘awhile’?” —28Delayslater
“Will there be a central tire inflation system? Thinking zombie apocalypse. Can’t stop to change a flat.” —TexlaModel3
I would love to see Elon respond to these questions, especially about the length of time it could float. Having a vehicle that can take on floods would be a dream for many, as flash floods are very common in areas that are prone to sudden and heavy rainfalls as well as areas that are below sea level. The idea of a floating Cybertruck brings to mind a duck just floating along the pond — even if that’s not exactly how it would work. Also, it would be a great truck for driving through areas that are easily flooded on a regular basis.
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