A Cybertruck owner in Texas learned the hard way that electric trucks are not designed to operate as boats. The driver, identified as Jimmy Jack McDaniel, was arrested and charged after intentionally driving his Cybertruck into a lake while using its 'Wade Mode' feature.
Incident Details
According to the Grapevine Police Department, officers responded to a call at Katie's Woods Park Boat Ramp, located approximately 35 kilometers northeast of Dallas, shortly before 8 p.m. on Monday. They found a Cybertruck partially submerged near the shoreline. The driver admitted to deliberately driving into the lake to test the vehicle's 'Wade Mode' capability.
Police stated that the vehicle became disabled and began taking on water. Fortunately, the driver and passengers managed to escape unharmed before emergency services arrived. The Grapevine Fire Department Water Rescue Team assisted in towing the vehicle back to shore.
What is 'Wade Mode'?
According to Tesla's owner manual, 'Wade Mode allows Cybertruck to enter and drive through bodies of water, such as rivers or creeks.' However, the company explicitly warns that it is the driver's responsibility to assess water depth before entering. Damage or water ingress resulting from driving in water is not covered under warranty.
Tesla specifies that the Cybertruck can wade in water up to approximately 32 inches (about 80 centimeters) deep, but only at very slow speeds of 2 to 5 km/h. The feature is intended for shallow crossings, not for navigating lakes or deep water.
Legal Consequences
Jimmy Jack McDaniel was arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including operating a vehicle in a closed section of a park or lake, having no valid boat registration, and numerous water safety equipment violations, as reported by Fox affiliate KDFW.
Police emphasized that while a vehicle may be physically capable of entering shallow freshwater areas, doing so can create legal and safety concerns under Texas law. They urged drivers to avoid using vehicles in bodies of water where they are not permitted.
This incident follows a recent trend of Cybertruck-related mishaps, including a recall of over 63,000 Cybertrucks due to overly bright front lights and a separate incident involving a torching of vehicles at a Vaughan Tesla dealership.
