"I Thought It Had a Water Mode": $100,000 Tesla Cybertruck Plunges Into Lake

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[Financial News] A man in the United States drove a Tesla Cybertruck into a lake to test its so-called water mode, only for the vehicle to flood, forcing him to escape at the last minute.
According to Fox News, CBS News and other local media outlets on the 20th (local time), the incident took place on the 18th. Police and fire officials were dispatched around 8 p.m. after receiving a report that a vehicle had fallen into the water near the boat ramp at Katies Woods Park on Grapevine Lake in northern Texas.
Driver Jimmy Jack McDaniel told police that he had driven the vehicle into the lake to test the Wade Mode feature installed in the Tesla Cybertruck. Wade Mode is designed to help the vehicle drive through shallow water or rough terrain by temporarily raising the ride height and pressurizing the battery system.
However, the vehicle became inoperable shortly after entering the lake. As water began to fill the cabin, the driver and a passenger quickly escaped, according to reports. By the time police arrived, the Tesla Cybertruck was already submerged. It was later recovered with help from the fire department's water rescue team.
The driver was arrested on multiple charges, including operating a vehicle in a restricted area of the lake and violating several water safety equipment regulations. After being released on bail, he told local media, "I had successfully used Wade Mode before at the same lake and on an Atlantic Ocean beach. This time, I misjudged the water depth and went too far in, which caused the vehicle to stop."
A new Tesla Cybertruck costs more than 100 million won. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has described the vehicle as "waterproof enough to serve as a boat and capable of crossing rivers, lakes and even the sea." However, Tesla's official manual states that "it is the driver's responsibility to check water depth, and flood damage is not covered under warranty."
bng@fnnews.com Kim Hee-sun Reporter