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Driving through water with no fear

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DavidB

2010 Roadster Sport || 2013 S85 || 2017 X100D
Supporting Member
Jul 8, 2013
925
1,223
Silver Spring, MD
One concern I've heard about driving an electric car is how it might be shorted out if you drive through water.

I've found that I actually have less worry about driving through water than when I drove an ICE car.
--The regenerative breaking works just as well in all forms of weather (barring extremely hot or cold batteries).
--The traction control works better than any other car I've driven.
--The motor can't be ruined by sucking water into the air intake (there is no air intake).

Granted, you still shouldn't drive into deep water, but there are very few vehicles that can take that sort of abuse. :tongue:

Tesla Model S driving through a puddle.
 
From the "First Responder" Guide:
Capture.JPG
 
Also, if the + and - terminals of a voltage source is close to each other, there isn't a great risk of electrocution in water.

See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcrY59nGxBg

(Be warned - watching Mehdi's videos can be addictive...)
See Mehdi get a nasty shock because he forgot how dangerous his experiment was!

And yes, the + and - terminals are relatively close to each other everywhere in the car. There is no real danger to the passengers nor the bystanders.
 
A Tesla tech told me that the battery case is not only water-tight, but air-tight (with lowered pressure; if the pressure suddenly rises it disconnects itself. There are several other sensors for shorts and accidents that will do the same thing).

As DavidB said, you still don't want to drive through deep water, but many ICE drivers seem to be afraid that water will just pour in to the battery, perhaps even in heavy rain.
 
Tesla splash.jpg

In the past I've driven cars where a splash like this might stall out the car. With many cars I'd worry about soaking my brakes. The only consequence from driving through this puddle (multiple times, for a photo shoot) with my Tesla was dampness in the frunk.
 
I'd recommend avoiding driving through water whenever possible since "Flooding of the Battery" is specifically excluded from the battery warranty coverage:

Battery Limited Warranty
The Model S lithium-ion battery (the “Battery”) is an extremely sophisticated powertrain
component designed to withstand extreme driving conditions. You can rest easy knowing that
Tesla’s state-of-the-art Battery is backed by this Battery Limited Warranty, which covers the repair
or replacement of any malfunctioning or defective Battery, subject to the limitations described
below. If your Battery requires warranty service, Tesla will repair the unit, or replace it with a factory
reconditioned unit that has an energy capacity at least equal to that of the original Battery before
the failure occurred. Your vehicle’s Battery is covered under this Battery Limited Warranty for a
period of 8 years or for the number of miles/km specified below for your Battery configuration,
whichever comes first:
• 60 kWh - 125,000 miles (200,000 km)
• 85 kWh - unlimited miles/km
Despite the breadth of this warranty, damage resulting from intentional abuse (including
intentionally ignoring active vehicle warnings), a collision or accident, or the servicing or opening of
the Battery by non-Tesla personnel, is not covered under this Battery Limited Warranty.
In addition, damage resulting from the following activities are not covered under this Battery
Limited Warranty:
• Exposing the vehicle to ambient temperatures above 140°F (60°C) or below -22°F (-30°C) for
more than 24 hours at a time;
• Physically damaging the Battery, or intentionally attempting, either by physical means,
programming, or other methods, to extend (other than as specified in your owner
documentation) or reduce the life of the Battery;
• Exposing the Battery to direct flame; or,
• Flooding of the Battery.
The Battery, like all lithium-ion batteries, will experience gradual energy or power loss with time and
use. Loss of Battery energy or power over time or due to or resulting from Battery usage, is NOT
covered under this Battery Limited Warranty. See your owner documentation for important
information on how to maximize the life and capacity of the Battery.
 
True, flooding the battery voids the warranty, but that's almost impossible to do without letting your Tesla soak in more than a foot of water. Just driving through water puddles is not a problem, since the battery case is not only water-tight, but air-tight.