A Tesla Cybertruck driver is in custody tonight after a bizarre 'wade mode' stunt on a lake ended with the electric pick-up submerged and a rescue operation. The incident, which unfolded at a reservoir in the Home Counties, has already become a viral sensation and a fresh headache for Elon Musk's embattled company.
Sources at the scene tell me the driver, a 32-year-old man from Surrey, was attempting to demonstrate the vehicle's 'wade mode' – a feature that supposedly allows the Cybertruck to traverse shallow water. But the lake was deeper than he thought. The truck disappeared beneath the surface within minutes. Fire crews and a specialist marine unit were called in to retrieve the vehicle. The driver was pulled from the water by a bystander, and later arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and criminal damage.
One witness described the scene as 'utter chaos'. 'He was revving the engine, shouting something about being a pioneer. Then the water started pouring in. It was like watching a car sink in slow motion,' they said.
The Cybertruck's 'wade mode' has been a point of contention among Tesla enthusiasts. Some claim it allows the vehicle to cross rivers and streams. Critics say it is little more than a marketing gimmick. The incident will do little to silence those who argue the angular, stainless-steel truck is more about aesthetics than practicality.
A Tesla spokesperson has so far declined to comment. But behind the scenes, I am told the company is livid. The driver was not an official tester. He bought the Cybertruck second-hand and modified it himself. 'This is a nightmare for us,' a source inside Tesla told me. 'We are trying to convince people this is a serious vehicle. Then someone does this.'
The driver's arrest has sparked a debate about responsibility. Should Tesla have done more to warn drivers about the limits of 'wade mode'? Or is this simply a case of a man ignoring common sense?
Downing Street was this evening declining to be drawn into the row. A Number 10 source simply said: 'The police are handling the matter. We urge drivers to use vehicles responsibly.' The source then added, with a wry smile: 'And perhaps avoid using lakes as proving grounds.'
The Cybertruck has been plagued by controversy since its launch. Production delays, build quality issues, and a steep price tag have turned what was meant to be a paradigm shift into a cautionary tale. This latest incident will be gleefully seized upon by EV sceptics and Musk detractors alike.
For now, the driver remains in custody. The Cybertruck is in a police compound, slowly drying out. And the rest of us are left wondering: what were the waders thinking? This is a mess of their own making.
