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Tesla's Cybertruck Will Be Able To Cross Calm Seas, Elon Musk Says It Can Double as a Boat

Elon Musk is putting everyone on high alert again. Tesla’s CEO says that the Cybertruck will be able to withstand rivers, lakes, and “even seas that aren’t too choppy,” thanks to undefined waterproof capabilities. Here’s what you need to know.
Tesla Cybertruck 9 photos
Photo: Tesla
Tesla CybertruckThe Normal Road that Goes from Starbase to South Padre IslandPossible Route for the Cybertruck with Boat CapabilitiesTesla Cybertruck leaks in what appears to be production guiseTesla Cybertruck leaks in what appears to be production guiseTesla Cybertruck leaks in what appears to be production guiseTesla Cybertruck leaks in what appears to be production guiseTesla Cybertruck leaks in what appears to be production guise
Tesla's AI Day 2022 is set to happen tomorrow, the 30th of September. The six-hour event will start around 5 PM Pacific Standard Time (PST) or midnight Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). We already know what’s to be expected, but all the details have not been spilled yet. There are more surprises prepared for attendees, customers, investors, and watchers.

But one thing nobody expected was more promises regarding the delayed Cybertruck. Tesla’s all-electric pickup truck is awaited by reportedly over one million pre-order holders. Granted, it costs only $100 to make sure your name is on the list, but that’s an impressive number if people did not give up on it already.

Now, as Hurricane Ian wreaks havoc in Florida, Elon Musk takes to Twitter to tell everyone that the Cybertruck will be “waterproof enough” to double as a boat. At the time of writing, the executive accrued over 113,000 likes for sharing this piece of intel.

Tesla’s CEO argues the EV will be able to cross “rivers, lakes and even seas” but it will only do so “briefly.” Musk doesn’t explain what “briefly” means in terms of minutes but adds that it needs to go from the SpaceX Starbase to South Padre Island. Normally, that’s a 40-mile (64-km), 52-minute trip on normal roads. It looks like crossing the Brownsville Ship Channel could shorten that distance.

A possible time advantage is debatable since the Cybertruck would need to travel mostly on the beach before reaching the Brazos Santiago Pass. That’s because courageous drivers (and skippers?) won’t be able to go through the Boca Chica Wildlife Refuge or the Brazos Island State Park.

After reaching the end of the shoreline, it would have to turn into a boat and cross the water pass that’s around 42 feet (13 meters) deep. A possible route would measure approximately 1,392 feet (424 meters) or 0.22 nautical miles.

Naturally, people are now wondering on social media about how this unexpected feature will be implemented on an all-electric pickup truck that originally had a starting price of $39,990. The all-wheel-drive version was priced at $49,990, and the tri-motor one had a cost of $69,990 before the values were removed from the website. As it is right now, you can’t place a reservation if you are from outside the U.S.

Lastly, we can’t help but wonder – will this bring us a new delay in the production of the Cybertruck? Will the automaker include the capability in the buyer’s agreement and the warranty? Is Tesla finally going to eliminate all the panel misalignment issues? There are too many things to consider without having specific details about the vehicle and the accompanying paperwork.

One thing is for sure – we can’t wait to see it on the road first. Then, someone will surely test the pickup truck’s buoyancy.

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About the author: Florin Amariei
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Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one.
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