Tesla keeps claiming that the Cybertruck will float. But we haven't seen any demonstration of the EV going into boat mode. It does have a Wade mode, but that doesn't exactly make it float.
When the Wade Mode is engaged, the Cybertruck takes up to 10 minutes to get ready. It puts the suspension in the highest setting and pressurizes the battery when driving through shallow water, with "shallow" being the keyword here.
According to Tesla, the water should not be deeper than 31 inches (0.79 centimeters) and should not exceed the top of the bumper. Considering that the Cybertruck is 75 inches (190.5 centimeters) tall, that is nowhere near floating above the water. “Proceed at your own risk,” reads a line in the menu of the Cybertruck.
The only car capable of actually floating currently on the market is BYD's YangWang U8 SUV, which features a floating mode preventing it from sinking for 30 whole minutes. That is as long as Tesla Cybertrucks Wade Mode remains activated before automatically switching off.
In 2022, Elon Musk tweeted that the Cybertruck would be able to “traverse at least 100 meters of water as a boat.” We haven't seen that happening yet, and it surely is not something that Tesla would not brag about if the truck were able to do it.
With the suspension in the most elevated position, the Cybertruck features a ground clearance of 16 inches (406 millimeters), figures that the Ford F-150 Lightning and the Chevrolet Silverado EV can only dream of.
The Blue Oval-badged truck sits at 8.4 inches (213 millimeters) from the ground, while the Chevy sports a ground clearance of 8.9 inches (226 millimeters). None goes into Wade, Float, or Boat mode. As for the Cybertruck, we have our doubts.
Once the Cybertruck goes into the water, it starts beeping. "Oh, snap!" goes the driver when water covers the windshield. The water is not that deep, but going too fast through the big puddle spreads water on the front glass.
"It's literally going through like a tank," the driver says during the second test.
The final test puts the Cybertruck in quite deep water. The cameraman stands with the water up to his waist. This time, it also goes all the way to the windshield and side mirrors, making waves right and left. During the “swim,” the driver hit 29 mph (47 kph).
The driver heard a rattling sound while going through the water. An underneath protection cover needed to be popped back in. A piece of plastic also was dislocated from the rear bumper, but the owner clipped it back.
Hours later, when the vehicle is not completely dry, the tonneau cover and tailgate buttons at the back don't seem to work anymore. But they can be opened via phone. Probably, that is exactly what the warning line in the menu was referring to. However, the water was not deep enough to get to the upper side of the load bed. One thing is for sure for the moment. The Tesla Cybertruck can’t float. But one day, an OTA update might turn it into a boat.
Now, the owner of the Cybertruck can only hope that his EV is not going to rust after this experience. Several drivers reported rust stains on the body following heavy rain.
Google News