A Tesla Cybertruck was pulled from a lake in Texas after its driver intentionally drove into the water to test the vehicle's 'wade mode' feature, according to local police.
The Grapevine police department said the incident occurred at Katie's Woods Park Boat Ramp on Tuesday. The driver and passengers abandoned the vehicle after it became disabled and took on water, prompting a call for help.
Police arrested the driver on charges of operating a vehicle in a closed section of a park or lake, along with several water safety equipment violations. A photo posted online showed the half-submerged silver Cybertruck near the shoreline.
'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,' Grapevine police said in a statement.
Tesla's Cybertruck manual describes 'Wade Mode' as allowing the vehicle to 'enter and drive through bodies of water, such as rivers or creeks', with a maximum wade depth of approximately 32 inches (815mm) at speeds of 1-3 mph. The manual warns drivers to gauge water depth before entering and notes that the truck may sink in soft or muddy underwater surfaces.
