Apparently water and electric cars can go together.
It’s understandable to think an electric car driving through a flood would have terrible results, but one Tesla Model S owner in Kazakhstan drove through a flooded tunnel and CEO Elon Musk approved. Naturally this isn’t something Musk recommends, but he doesn’t hesitate to claim that the Model S “floats well enough to turn it into a boat for short periods of time.”
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By no means is the Tesla Model S an amphibious car, but it does bring up another benefit of electric-battery power compared to a standard combustion engine. Standard gasoline engines that use an intake would have disastrous results once water hits the engine bay, but the Model S churns on despite being submerged in quite a bit of water.
It also seems that Musk has an interest in creating a car that can be submerged underwater. In a follow up tweet, he references a “TSWLM car,” pointing to James Bond’s Lotus Esprit in The Spy Who Loved Me that could transform into a submarine.
Tesla owner drives through a flooded tunnel & out the other side https://t.co/RmPxdZShhq
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 19, 2016
We *def* don’t recommended this, but Model S floats well enough to turn it into a boat for short periods of time. Thrust via wheel rotation.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 19, 2016
If curious abt TSWLM car, am still planning to do a sports sub car that can drive on roads. Just a side project. Limited market potential 🙂
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 19, 2016
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