Elon Musk has confirmed that the Tesla Model S can function as a boat for short periods of time, thanks to thrust from its wheel rotation.
Whatever floats your boat or Tesla Model S, right? After a video posted from Kazakhstan revealed that the Model S can function as a boat for a short period of time, Elon Musk took to Twitter to confirm that the vehicle is capable of short trips in water thanks to thrust produced from its wheel rotation.
The video, which shows a man driving through a flooded tunnel in Almaty in Kazakhstan, depicts the Tesla Model S as utterly unfazed by meter deep water; the vehicle simply begins to float and then manages to drive past several flooded cars on its way to the other side of the tunnel.
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While conventional vehicles -which rely on an Internal Combustion Engine (IEC) – possess an exhaust pipe which can be flooded by water, battery powered vehicles don’t have an exhaust pipe.
The Model S further boasts another advantage in wet (or watery) weather conditions over its conventional counterparts – it contains a nearly-impenetrable battery pack and a well-sealed cabin.
Elon Musk took to Twitter to confirm that the vehicle could indeed be used as a boat for sport periods of time, while adding that he nor anyone at Tesla would actually recommend doing so.
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
The revelation is either an uncanny or prophetic one for Tesla, who last year installed an easter egg into the Model S’ firmware which allows users to turn the picture of the vehicle on the dashboard into James Bond’s submersible Lotus Esprit.
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What are your thoughts on the fact that the Model S can be used as a boat for short periods of time? Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Follow Bryan Smith on Twitter: @bryansmithSA
