A Tesla Model X caught fire after backing down a boat ramp and becoming fully submerged in the water. The car continued to burn while underwater.
The video above shows the Model X burning. It's the "on-the-scene" video from the actual day of the event. The story, some of which we can't fully confirm, reportedly is that the Model X was backing jet skis (or maybe a boat) down the boat ramp when some malfunction occurred.
The malfunction could possibly have been caused by water intrusion or perhaps striking some underwater object. There's even a chance that the battery had been previously damaged, which allowed water to get inside as soon as the vehicle backed far enough down the boat ramp.
The occupant couldn't open the doors, so her husband came back on the just-launched jet ski and helped her out. The car remained on fire for a long time while submerged. Hollywood Fire Rescue of Hollywood, Florida left the vehicle in the water to contain the fire and prevent any potential injuries that could have occurred by attempting to remove the Tesla from the water.
Update: We've added a video (hat tip to Jalopnik) from the fire department that was on the scene below:
The chain of events is described in detail in the video below:
We say water and EVs don't mix and we can expand upon that by saying that traditional gas/diesel cars shouldn't be driven through standing water either but Tesla CEO Elon Musk has made statements to the contrary about Teslas time and again, like this one about a Model S floating:
It may float, but it's no boat and under no circumstance should you ever attempt to drive your Model S into a body of water to test out its ability to float.
Regarding the Tesla Cybertruck, Musk took it a step further by suggesting the electric pickup truck can cross rivers, lakes, and even seas, as long as the waters aren't too choppy. Again, we urge you not to attempt any boat mode moves in your Cybertruck, or any other Tesla. Please don't listen to Elon Musk. Don't risk your life to find out if a Tesla floats or if it's "waterproof enough."
