Teslarati 
Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently provided some insights on how the Cybertruck’s planned “Boat Mode” might work. Musk’s suggestions were actually practical, making the idea of a seafaring Cybertruck sound quite feasible.
Musk’s ideas were shared on Twitter as a response to longtime Starbase watcher RGV Aerial Photography, which estimated that traveling through the channel route to South Padre Island from Starbase would take about 15-25 mins. This is if the Cybertruck crosses the channel at an estimated speed of about 3-10 knots.
Elon Musk responded to the post, noting that an electric propeller mounted on the Cybertruck’s tow hitch would allow the all-electric pickup to move faster than a few knots. Musk also noted that a novel hub design would likely be able to help the Cybertruck generate some thrust in the water.
“You’d need an electric propeller mounted on the tow hitch to go faster than a few knots. There might (be) a creative wheel hub design that can generate meaningful thrust,” Musk wrote.
Musk’s ideas for the Cybertruck’s “Boat Mode” may seem quite simple, but they would likely involve quite a lot of work on Tesla’s part. The Cybertruck is bound to be a heavy vehicle, after all, so designing a propeller that can be mounted on the tow hitch that’s capable enough to push the vehicle on water would likely be a challenge. The same goes for wheel hub designs that can generate thrust.
When Elon Musk announced that the Cybertruck would be able to cross the channel from Starbase to San Padre Island, many were skeptical. However, considering that the channel the vehicle would have to cross is only about 477 meters, the idea actually seemed feasible. As Musk noted, the Cybertruck would have to be waterproof enough so that it can briefly serve as a boat.
Musk’s recent statements about the Cybertruck’s “Boat Mode” have prompted warnings from agencies such as the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. In a post on Twitter, the Washington State DNR noted that any vehicle that “serves briefly as a boat,” such as the Cybertruck as Musk noted, should definitely not be used as a boat.
