- Why did the Tesla owner do this?
- Did the Tesla float?
- Was the Tesla weighed down?
- What about the “tether?”
Thanks to all those seeking YouTube glory, we get to see the owner of this Tesla Model S Plaid sink it. Actually, not sink it, but sink it and then drive it along the bottom of a lake in New Zealand. And then, drive it back up the other side in what looks to be a Tesla success. That’s because the owner and skipper of the Tesla wants to prove the EV’s “superiority.”
Why did the Tesla owner do this?
Underwater Tesla poking out of the water | YouTube
With flooding prevalent in New Zealand, some Tesla owners took offense to suggestions electric cars faced problems from the wet. That prompted our YouTuber to perform this demonstration to prove the naysayers wrong.
So filling a seven-foot artificial lake to show us the Tesla’s Boat Mode was no problem. With a pal on the far end of the lake with a lead attached, “Chellin’ with Chet,” his YouTube name, prepped his car by sealing up the cabin as much as possible. Then he began his dissent.
Did the Tesla float?
Underwater Tesla | YouTube
Slowly working his way in, you can see the water begin to surround the car. Before too long, through the windshield you see the water make its way almost to the roof. Being a vessel filled with air, would it float? There was some concern the EV would become buoyant, thus the friend with the rope attached.
With all New Zealand’s flooding over the last couple of days I had one troll on Facebook (surprise, I know) try to tell me “your electric cars would be screwed in those floods”.
Sorry, I don’t see any mods to this Tesla other than sealing up the human compartment… pic.twitter.com/forphE1x5G
— Gavin Shoebridge (@KiwiEV) January 28, 2023
At certain points it looks like it wants to float, but that might have been just the bumpy lake bottom. The EV stayed down, even as the water began cresting over the top. However, in a couple of shots you can see bar bells on the floor in the rear.
Was the Tesla weighed down?
Chet navigating underwater Tesla | YouTube
This suggests that the trunk and frunk also received similar weight enhancements. In fact, we wondered why we didn’t see the car before it began its watery dissent, and after it made its way out of the lake. A reason not to show the car immediately before and after might be to avoid showing a collapsed suspension from all of that added weight.
Views inside show all of the door panels, carpet, and seats have been removed, you know, just in case. And some water did begin to blast into the car. Chet is sitting on an aluminum replacement seat, without a cover, too. Slowly, the Tesla emerges from the lake, triumphant.
What about the “tether?”
Underwater Tesla with tether | YouTube
Related
But we noticed something else. While we get that for safety reasons he needs to be tethered, there really isn’t anywhere to go should the car not have the tether. And then we noticed that as the car emerges, the tether looks awfully taut. Sort of like it was pulling the EV along from the start.
While not casting dispersions, these “trials” aren’t like timing events where there are rules and technology computing speeds, times, and such. These are just exhibitions. So without those efforts legitimizing what we’re seeing, as long as you see what they want you to, it all works out well.
Keyword: Watch: Tesla Model S Plaid Drives Underwater and Makes It, But…