-Grapevine, Texas
A Texas man is facing charges after police say he intentionally drove his Tesla Cybertruck into a lake to test the vehicle’s controversial “Wade Mode” feature — only for the truck to become disabled and start taking on water.
According to authorities, the incident happened Monday evening at Katie’s Woods Park Boat Ramp in Grapevine, Texas, about 25 miles outside Dallas-Fort Worth. When officers arrived, they discovered the futuristic electric truck partially submerged near the shoreline after the driver reportedly attempted to test the Cybertruck’s ability to travel through water.
Police said the driver admitted he intentionally drove into the lake while passengers were still inside the vehicle.
What Is Cybertruck “Wade Mode”?
Tesla’s Cybertruck includes a feature called “Wade Mode,” which temporarily raises ride height and pressurizes the battery pack to help the vehicle move through shallow bodies of water like creeks or flooded roads.
However, Tesla’s own owner manual reportedly warns that the maximum safe water depth is around 32 inches. In this case, the experiment apparently went very wrong.
After entering the lake, the Cybertruck became disabled and began filling with water, according to police. The driver and passengers were forced to abandon the vehicle while emergency crews from the Grapevine Fire Department Water Rescue Team helped remove it from the lake.
The driver was later arrested and charged with operating a vehicle in a closed section of a park or lake, not having valid boat registration documentation, and multiple water safety violations.
The Internet Is Already Having a Field Day
The bizarre incident quickly exploded online, with social media users joking that the Cybertruck had finally become a “Cyberboat.”
Critics of the polarizing Tesla vehicle also pointed to previous incidents involving water damage and reliability concerns.
This isn’t the first time the Cybertruck has gone viral for unexpected reasons. Earlier this year, another owner claimed their truck stopped working after going through a car wash.
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- Tesla Changes the Game Again: Meet the Optimus Robot, the Revolutionary Humanoid Robot Designed for Your Everyday Life at Home
- Cybertruck Stops Working After Car Wash
Police Warning to Drivers
Authorities used the incident to remind drivers that just because a vehicle can enter water does not mean it is safe — or legal — to do so.
“We want to remind drivers that although a vehicle may be physically capable of entering shallow freshwater areas, doing so can create legal and safety concerns under Texas law,” police stated.
The strange lake stunt is now becoming one of the internet’s latest viral “only in Texas” moments.
