Photo: Tesla, @niccruzpatane via X
People who tested the Cybertruck discovered a mysterious "Wade Mode" hidden inside the Off-Road menu. The description was laconic, saying it "raises the air suspension and pressurizes the battery when driving through water." How it achieved the latter was unknown, and Tesla didn't offer more details. Thanks to the Cybertruck parts catalog, now we know.
Tesla started Cybertruck deliveries on November 30, but not everyone was happy with how the electric pickup has changed since 2019 when it was first unveiled. Some features were scrapped, while others were added, as Tesla continuously modified the initial blueprints. One of the most bizarre features that Elon Musk announced in 2020 was that the Cybertruck would be able "to float for a while."
No one knew at the time what he meant by "a while." If he meant a couple of minutes, that's not much different from any other car model that happens to fall into the water. If he meant hours, that would require the Cybertruck to be amphibious. Last year, Musk clarified that he wanted the Cybertruck to be able to cross the channel from SpaceX's Starbase in Boca Chica, TX, to South Padre Island when the seas are "not too choppy."
Musk must have been talked out of this feature because he didn't mention it during the Cybertruck Delivery Day event on November 30. Since the specifications don't say anything about the Cybertruck being amphibious, it's safe to assume that it's not. However, Tesla is adamant that its electric pickup should prove an off-road powerhouse. This implies that it should at least be able to ford a river.
That's where the Wade Mode comes into play, as it specifically refers to the Cybertruck's ability to drive through water. It may not float, but it still needs to survive a water crossing, even when the water is deep. But because Li-ion batteries and water don't mix well, Tesla thought of a unique feature to keep the water from entering the battery pack. The Wade Mode's description mentions "pressurizing the battery," and everyone was scratching their head to understand how Tesla would do that.
Two weeks later, we found out more about it, thanks to the recently published Cybertruck parts catalog. Tesla's pickup does indeed use compressed air to keep water from entering the pack by increasing the inner pressure. Tesla has already done that with the Bioweapon Defense Mode, which raises the air pressure inside the cabin to prevent harmful gases from entering. This time, Tesla uses the compressed air from the air suspension system.
Funnily, Tesla names the lines that bring compressed air to the battery pack "Scuba Pack Airline." Also, they are connected to the air suspension's compressed air reservoir via a "Scuba valve block assembly." I still don't know how much of this is humor and how much is a reminiscence from the times when the Cybertruck was supposed to float on water. What I do know is that it is now more of a Scuba suit than a boat.
No one knew at the time what he meant by "a while." If he meant a couple of minutes, that's not much different from any other car model that happens to fall into the water. If he meant hours, that would require the Cybertruck to be amphibious. Last year, Musk clarified that he wanted the Cybertruck to be able to cross the channel from SpaceX's Starbase in Boca Chica, TX, to South Padre Island when the seas are "not too choppy."
Musk must have been talked out of this feature because he didn't mention it during the Cybertruck Delivery Day event on November 30. Since the specifications don't say anything about the Cybertruck being amphibious, it's safe to assume that it's not. However, Tesla is adamant that its electric pickup should prove an off-road powerhouse. This implies that it should at least be able to ford a river.
That's where the Wade Mode comes into play, as it specifically refers to the Cybertruck's ability to drive through water. It may not float, but it still needs to survive a water crossing, even when the water is deep. But because Li-ion batteries and water don't mix well, Tesla thought of a unique feature to keep the water from entering the battery pack. The Wade Mode's description mentions "pressurizing the battery," and everyone was scratching their head to understand how Tesla would do that.
Two weeks later, we found out more about it, thanks to the recently published Cybertruck parts catalog. Tesla's pickup does indeed use compressed air to keep water from entering the pack by increasing the inner pressure. Tesla has already done that with the Bioweapon Defense Mode, which raises the air pressure inside the cabin to prevent harmful gases from entering. This time, Tesla uses the compressed air from the air suspension system.
Funnily, Tesla names the lines that bring compressed air to the battery pack "Scuba Pack Airline." Also, they are connected to the air suspension's compressed air reservoir via a "Scuba valve block assembly." I still don't know how much of this is humor and how much is a reminiscence from the times when the Cybertruck was supposed to float on water. What I do know is that it is now more of a Scuba suit than a boat.
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