Cybertruck is waterproof enough to serve as a boat to cross rivers, lakes & calm seas -- confirms Musk 🚤

[cyberda]

I'll formally predict the CT will not be able to cross lakes or calm seas. The man is delusional.

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[TyPope]

Elon isn't in the habit of ruining surprises so the fact that he told us this about the CT is an indicator that we may not hear any CT news at AI day. I know AI day isn't set up as a CT event but he sometimes gives tidbits here and there. This was his way of setting expectations. My 2 cents.

 

[Warhawk123162]

I’m all for it, if it’s free and it doesn’t hold up delivery

 

[Tinker71]

I think decent bulb seals on the cabin will keep water out for a while. The frunk could probably be sealed up similarly for very little cost. The tail gate is another matter. Those seals will be exposed to more gravel and wear and tear. It will take extra cost to seal that area properly. I have seen the rough estimate of the buoyance levels. I think it might sit lower in the water. I previously said it would sink in 5 minutes in a still pond just due to slow infiltration. It might be a lot more, but the CT will not be a boat. I think many are bored and not serious but risking a $70k truck for a party trick?

Water and electronics don't mix. You might ford a creek fine several times only to be haunted by circuit board failures 2 years later. It is nice to know it has that capability though in an emergency.

 

[firsttruck]

......

You can either have good buoyancy or good wading depth but not both, unless you can get the wheels further down from the underbody. BTW amphibious trumps wading depth any day of the week in my book.

Based on first principles it does not have to be one or the other ( max wade or max float).
Both maximums are possible.

All rivers have water currents, many lakes or ponds might have little current over most of their surface space. Ocean beaches and bays can have currents.

An effective water propulsion system is mandatory to safely navigate environments where there might be currents. Floating around with only tires as steering & propulsion might be OK for placid lake.

U.S. Coast Guard or state water regulators do not allow floating vehicles that do not have effective steering & propulsion systems. They will tow you in and charge you for the tow and add a fine for extra disencentive.



If Cybertruck could float by standard but did not include standard a powerful water propulsion system it would look pretty bad when the Cybertrucks floated downstream while the bog standard Ford/Ram/Land Rover/Nissan/Toyota ICE trucks/SUVs crossed the 800mm deep river successfully with their ICE drivers and passengers rolling on the ground laughing at the Cybertruck disappearing down river towards the water fall or out to sea.

The Cybertruck already has air compressor and tank. To be able switch between best wading or best float is done by using ballast tanks similar to submarine. In most cars/trucks there usually many areas with unused space in underbody. If you put in a few tanks that can be flooded with water or pumped with air you can get control of wade vs float.

Unless Cybertruck comes standard with a powerful water jet propulsion most off-roaders will want maximum wading capability since without a powerful water propulsion system the off-roaders will avoid deeper river waters because of currents just like they do today.

Cybertruck should be able to wade at minimum 700mm-800mm just like many ICE trucks/SUVs.
The Cybertruck float mode should not impair the wade ability.

Deep wading might be standard on Cybertruck.

Boat/Float mode & water propulsion might be extra option just like Roadster has SpaceX cold tthrusters option.

The Cybertruck Boat/Float mode options would include water/air ballast tanks, tank flood/purge pump & valves, water propulsion system, double door seals, extra seals for tailgate.

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Travel on Land or Float on Water or Submerge under water (or only wade )

Rinspeed sQuba
The sQuba, developed by Swiss company Rinspeed, is the world's first car that can be driven both on land and under water.[1][2] The original idea by Rinspeed founder and CEO Frank M. Rinderknecht was inspired by the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. The chassis from the Lotus Esprit is used as the base for this vehicle. The existing, functioning prototype cost more than US$1.5 million to build. The vehicle was motorized by twin electric-powered propellers and can be submerged to a depth of 10 metres, allowing folks to go down with it using scuba-style breathing equipment. The vehicle has a top speed of 75mph (120kph) on land, but slows down underwater to a calm and underwhelming 2mph (3.5kph). As of 2021 the "2008 Rinspeed sQuba" was listed as a project on the Rinspeed Web site, with no new information or indication of availability or price.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rinspeed_sQuba

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Rinspeed Squba
Aug 16, 2011
Motorvision International

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[RMK!]

Hurricane Ian made this topic well, topical ...

 

[firsttruck]

An effective water propulsion and steering systems are mandatory to safely navigate environments where there might be currents. Floating around with only tires as steering & propulsion might be OK for placid lake.

U.S. Coast Guard or state water regulators do not allow floating vehicles that do not have effective steering & propulsion systems. They will tow you in and charge you for the tow and add a fine for extra disincentive. Boats or floating things crashing into bridges is a big deal.

Monster truck driver thought the stunt was a joke even after police warned him beforehand. Guy did get get arrested. He only had to pay a $70 fine this time but I suspect they threatened him with much more if he tried it again without getting the proper approvals. They could have easily justified seizing his truck.

For get extra youtube/twitter hits, some youtuber/twitterers think it is OK to waste police time, endanger others, potentially damage critical infrastructure.

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Monstermax Drives in the Ocean (Police, Coast Guard, EPA, DNR Called)
Nov 16, 2020
WhistlinDiesel


The stunt itself took place before the police and the coast guard had any chance to stop it.
Detwiler (youtuber Monstermax) drove the truck into the water, with a helicopter and a drone in the sky to capture the footage, and a boat as backup, in case he needed towing back. He made his way at a speed of about 0.5 knots (0.57 mph / 0.9 kph)

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[JBee]

Based on first principles it does not have to be one or the other ( max wade or max float).
Both maximums are possible.

All rivers have water currents, many lakes or ponds might have little current over most of there surface space. Ocean beaches and bays can have currents.

On rivers have water currents, many lakes or ponds might have little current over most of there surface space. Ocean adjacent to beaches and bays can have currents.
An effective water propulsion system is mandatory for environments where there might be currents. Floating around with only tires as steering & propulsion might be OK for placid lake.

If Cybertruck could float by standard but did not include standard a powerful water propulsion system it would look pretty bad when the Cybertrucks floated downstream while the bog standard Ford/Ram/Land Rover/Nissan/Toyota ICE trucks/SUVs crossed the 800mm deep river successfully with their ICE drivers and passengers rolling on the ground laughing at the Cybertruck disappearing down river towards the water fall or out to sea.

The Cybertruck already has air compressor and tank. To be able switch between best wading or best float is done by using ballast tanks similar to submarine. In most cars/trucks there usually many areas with unused space in underbody. If you put in a few tanks that can be flooed with water or pumped with air you can get control of wade vs float.

Unless Cybertruck comes standard with a powerful water jet propulsion most off-roaders will want maximum wading capability since without a powerful water propulsion system the off-roaders will avoid deeper river waters because of currents just like they do today.

Cybertruck should be able to wade at minimum 700mm-800mm just like many ICE trucks/SUVs.
The Cybertruck float mode should not impair the wade ability.

Deep wading might be standard on Cybertruck.

Boat/Float mode & water propulsion might be extra option just like Roadster has SpaceX cold tthrusters option.

The Cybertruck Boat/Float mode options would include water/air ballast tanks, tank flood/purge pump & valves, water propulsion system, double door seals, extra seals for tailgate.

----------------------------

Travel on Land or Float on Water or Submerge under water (or only wade )

Rinspeed sQuba
The sQuba, developed by Swiss company Rinspeed, is the world's first car that can be driven both on land and under water.[1][2] The original idea by Rinspeed founder and CEO Frank M. Rinderknecht was inspired by the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. The chassis from the Lotus Esprit is used as the base for this vehicle. The existing, functioning prototype cost more than US$1.5 million to build. The vehicle was motorized by twin electric-powered propellers and can be submerged to a depth of 10 metres, allowing folks to go down with it using scuba-style breathing equipment. The vehicle has a top speed of 75mph (120kph) on land, but slows down underwater to a calm and underwhelming 2mph (3.5kph). As of 2021 the "2008 Rinspeed sQuba" was listed as a project on the Rinspeed Web site, with no new information or indication of availability or price.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rinspeed_sQuba

---------

Rinspeed Squba
Aug 16, 2011
Motorvision International

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So you're now basically saying there will be two versions of CT, a wading one and a floating one with propulsion and ballast tanks?

I'm not sure if you read my previous post detailing the waterline and volumes required for buoyancy, but unless your ballast tanks are under the water line they will have zero affect on bouyancy. Let alone there is not enough volume under the waterline to do any meaningful ballast tanks, especially with drivtrains and batteries in that lower area.

I seriously doubt there will be a floating and wading version and if you are really desperate to "wade" at greater depth, just to get another 4-8" of wading depth to compete with 8CE trucks, then simply lower the front suspension and put some wake on the frunk and that will keep your wheels on the ground. No extra bits required. Best part is no part.

I can agree that the water propulsion will be an optional extra, if at all it is offered by Tesla directly. They might choose not too to avoid liability.

 

[bad61]

No, I'm just having fun with it and I'm saying if I HAD to not that I would find it something I would do. If I lived in Florida and had to have a car or truck going through a hurricane, I'm just saying a CT would have been some help. Tie some oil barrels on front and back. Stainless steel and bullet proof glass. Safer than any other vehicles, it's a tank. I live Colo and would rather be in a Cybertruck driving in the snow. Electric assist snow cat device slides in hitch to help push or pull. Four-wheel steer. I could go on. Love this truck.

 

[Cyberman]

Scariest weather I ever encountered was a weird snowstorm-thaw-freeze that my wife and I were trapped in some time ago. We made out OK, but vehicles were trapped or off the road everywhere. Worst of all, the sudden snow-thaw created massive pools of water that submerged cars beyond driving level on on-ramps and other areas where water pools. The water then froze and destroyed the cars. I love the idea of a vehicle that could cruise through such situations.

The only place I ever came across weather like that was in Canadia.

 

[bad61]

The only place I ever came across weather like that was in Canadia.

That or the fact that the truck has a bio filter for smoke. Forest fires, Had a couple of bad weeks here. Love this truck

 

[JBee]

I think decent bulb seals on the cabin will keep water out for a while. The frunk could probably be sealed up similarly for very little cost. The tail gate is another matter. Those seals will be exposed to more gravel and wear and tear. It will take extra cost to seal that area properly. I have seen the rough estimate of the buoyance levels. I think it might sit lower in the water. I previously said it would sink in 5 minutes in a still pond just due to slow infiltration. It might be a lot more, but the CT will not be a boat. I think many are bored and not serious but risking a $70k truck for a party trick?

Water and electronics don't mix. You might ford a creek fine several times only to be haunted by circuit board failures 2 years later. It is nice to know it has that capability though in an emergency.

I was thinking about door, frunk and tailgate seals, and at first I thought inflatable seals would be fairly easy to do.

But then I thought about the fact that CT doesn't have outside door handles, and that the lock apparently pulls the door in against the seals. If we have a powered tailgate and frunk, we have the same thing. A electric-mechanical means of ensuring enough pressure is being applied to the door seals.

The handle less door mechanisms not only produce more force than a normal human would to compress the seals, but also provide a way to measure the condition of the seal itself, at least to tell if some was missing or something was caught in the seal. It also allows the CT to disable the door locks in boat mode (hence my thought that windows would be forced open in boat mode) and that all combines well with a powered frunk and tailgate as well.

As for electronics and water: I can agree that corrosion could become an issue on connectors etc, but overall, electrical systems on 4X4 need to be pretty good already simply because they are meant to have a wading capability as well, which will submerse every major electrical component of the CY underwater anyway. In fact it's likely to start floating before most ICE trucks finish wading.

Although this is not news, I think the distinction and consequences between these two use cases are much more similar and nuanced than working on the assumption that floating is actually worse.

Corrosion is a different matter, and salt exposure occurs whilst beach driving in any case. I always park my 4x4s on a sprinkler afterwards for that reason.

The only real reason it sounds outlandish is that it is not commonly done, and many manufacturers don't have enough courage to offer something like this on this scale of manufacturing.

I mean they made the most amphibious vehicles ever out of the VW bug in WW2 called the Schwimmwagen 80 years ago, I think we can do it with a CT by now.

 

[Faffle]

I will never drive over anything bigger than a puddle but the amount of soundproofing this might provide intrigues me.

 

[bad61]

So you're now basically saying there will be two versions of CT, a wading one and a floating one with propulsion and ballast tanks?

I'm not sure if you read my previous post detailing the waterline and volumes required for buoyancy, but unless your ballast tanks are under the water line they will have zero affect on bouyancy. Let alone there is not enough volume under the waterline to do any meaningful ballast tanks, especially with drivtrains and batteries in that lower area.

I seriously doubt there will be a floating and wading version and if you are really desperate to "wade" at greater depth, just to get another 4-8" of wading depth to compete with 8CE trucks, then simply lower the front suspension and put some wake on the frunk and that will keep your wheels on the ground. No extra bits required. Best part is no part.

I can agree that the water propulsion will be an optional extra, if at all it is offered by Tesla directly. They might choose not too to avoid liability.

So say you had a plate on front and back. Put air bag on it. Now how do you want to use it. Leave it up and now use it to push. Lay it flat to the ground. Enter the water. inflate bags.

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