Elon Musk is no stranger to making outlandish statements and last year, claimed that the Tesla Cybertruck would be able to “serve briefly as a boat,” allowing it to “cross rivers, lakes and even seas that aren’t too choppy.” Many dismissed these claims as hyperbole but an intriguing ‘Wade Mode’ found in the pickup suggests he was being serious.
A Twitter user by the name of Nic Cruz Patane recently had the opportunity to dive into the infotainment system of the latest Tesla and found that in the truck’s off-road settings is a so-called Wade Mode. Toggling this mode promises to raise the ride height of the Cybertruck while also pressurizing the battery pack “when driving through water.”
Read: Elon Musk Says The Tesla Cybertruck Will Be Waterproof And “Serve As A Boat”
It is unclear how Tesla pressurizes the truck’s battery and the Wade Mode also fails to mention the maximum depth of water that the Tesla can wade through. It is also unclear if the carmaker’s warranty includes driving through water or if Cybertruck customers are at risk of not being covered if they attempt to test out Musk’s claims of it being able to serve as a boat.
Then there’s the matter of salt water. Musk claimed that the Cybertruck could cross “even seas” and even if that is proven to be true, driving a car in salt water is never a good idea as it corrodes metal five times faster than fresh water.
As a reminder, the entry-level Cybertruck will arrive in 2025 with a price tag of $60,990. This variant should be able to hit 60 mph (96 km/h) in 6.5 seconds and travel 250 miles (402 km) on a single charge. Those looking for a little extra performance can opt for the All-Wheel Drive version starting at $79,990 and good for 340 miles of range and a 0-60 mph time of 4.1 seconds. Sitting at the top of the range is the $99,990 Cyberbeast with 845 hp, a 2.6 second 0-60 mph time, and a 320-mile range.
