A Cybertruck driver took his new motor for a spin to test a new feature but it backfired spectacularly.
Jimmy Jack McDaniel plunged his new Tesla car into Grapevine Lake in North Texas on Monday.
The vehicle went down a boat ramp into the water. The Cybertruck quickly failed and took on water before becoming completely submerged.
After managing to escape with his passenger, he told police he intentionally drove the vehicle into the lake to try and use its ‘Wade Mode’ feature.
He was arrested and charged with operating a vehicle in a closed section of a park or lake, having no valid boat registration and numerous water safety equipment violations.
He remains in Grapevine Jail.
‘We want to remind drivers that although a vehicle may be physically capable of entering shallow freshwater areas, doing so can create legal and safety concerns under Texas law,’ police said in a statement.
Can Cybertrucks drive in water?
Tesla says Wade mode allows Cybertruck to enter and drive through bodies of water, such as rivers or creeks.
It lifts the truck and allows it to drive through water up to around 800 mm (about 31 inches) deep.
The manual also warns Cybertruck drivers that soft or muddy underwater surfaces can cause the vehicle to sink, increasing the water level on it.
Drivers are also warned against driving in strong currents or rapids.
The manual says: ‘It is your responsibility to gauge the depth of any body of water before entering.
‘Damage or water ingress to Cybertruck as a result of driving in water is not covered by the warranty.’
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