Skip to main content

Roll up the windows: Video shows a Tesla S driving through a flooded tunnel

Tesla Model S swimming. Как Тесла переплыла потоп.
First off, don’t do this. Second, really don’t do it. Not only could you damage your car, but any time you drive a car into more than 4 or 5 inches of water you are taking a big chance, especially with moving water or when you have no clue as to why the water is rising.

OK, so common sense aside, this Tesla S driver successfully navigated through a flooded tunnel in Russia, according to Electrek. As the website points out, some people get skittish about electricity and water and how that might apply to electric cars. And certainly the two don’t mix well. That’s why we don’t have electric outlets near bathtubs, but it’s not quite the same with cars.

Related Videos

The Tesla’s sealed battery and electric motor are actually less vulnerable to damage from being submerged in water than internal combustion engines. Those vertical pipes that Jeeps or Land Rovers have extending up on one side of the vehicle near the windshield are called snorkels, and they serve the same purpose as the more familiar marine snorkels. With an engine snorkel, those rough and ready SUVs can drive through water without the engines choking on the lack of oxygen. (Not that many vehicles so equipped actually use the feature, but hey, it looks the part.)

Just like people, internal combustion engines need an air intake, but electric cars don’t. So that’s why when you watch the video the Tesla driver keeps moving while the other, presumably gasoline or diesel-powered cars, stall. It’s a nice touch that when the Tesla driver gets all the way through the tunnel and up out of the water, he or she weaves side to side like a puppy shaking off water after a bath.

So it looks like this driver made it out of the flooded tunnel just fine. As Electrek pointed out, however, if there was any damage from flooding the Tesla warranty wouldn’t cover it, as with all car manufacturers.

Editors' Recommendations

Mercedes is finally bringing an electric van to the U.S.
Front three quarter view of the 2024 Mercedes-Benz eSprinter electric van.

Mercedes-Benz might be known for luxury cars, but it also makes vans, and it's finally bringing an electric van to the United States.

Scheduled to start production this summer, the 2024 Mercedes-Benz eSprinter is an all-electric version of the Sprinter full-size cargo van that's already a favorite of delivery services like FedEx and Amazon, as well as camper van converters. While the automaker has been selling electric vans in Europe since 2010, the new eSprinter is the first one aimed at the U.S. market.

Read more
How to use a Tesla Supercharger: a complete guide
tesla starts opening its supercharger network to other evs

Sure, Tesla makes great cars, but one of the biggest advantages to owning a Tesla is being able to tap into its massive charging network. That means that not only can Tesla owners use all of the third-party charging stations out there, but they can also use the tens of thousands of Tesla Superchargers out there.

Of course, you might not want to use non-Tesla chargers if you don't have to, given the fact that they're so easy to use. Here's how to use a Tesla Supercharger.
How to use a Tesla Supercharger
Superchargers are among the easiest chargers to use. Here's how to do so.

Read more
Tesla invests billions in U.S. gigafactory to boost Semi production
Tesla's gigafactory in Nevada.

Tesla has announced a major plan to expand its gigafactory in Nevada.

The electric vehicle company led by Elon Musk said on Tuesday it will invest more than $3.6 billion to add two more production facilities to the site -- one that will become its first high-volume factory for its recently launched Semi truck, and another to produce its new 4680 battery cell.

Read more