Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has once again made exaggerated claims about the capabilities of the Cybertruck, stating that it can float and function as a boat.
Elon Musk announced that a “mod package” will be released for the Cybertruck in the future, allowing it to be used for yachting. However, the release date for this package is unknown. Additionally, the mod will only enable the vehicle to swim a minimum distance of 100 meters, which is not very impressive.
There are at least a few good reasons to doubt if these claims will hold water because one Tesla owner’s 2018 Model 3 which handled a considerably less formidable aquatic environment than the rivers, lakes, and seas: just a car wash; lost power steering after driving it over a speed bump.
When the owner took it in for repairs, a Tesla service manager told him that his power steering connector had corroded. The manager said that the likely culprit, unbelievably, was a car wash.
Broadly, it’s hard to deny the widespread criticisms raised over Tesla’s quality control. Many investigations have found that tens of thousands of the automaker’s EVs had steering or suspension parts that prematurely failed over the past several years — even in brand new cars.
Circling back to the alleged aquatic vulnerabilities, another Tesla owner complained that their car’s battery was destroyed after merely driving it in the rain, leaving them with some $20,000 in repairs.
Reference- Inside EVs, Autocar, Reuters, Futurism, Electrek