While some Tesla owners may like to think of their EVs as road-going submarines, the truth is that cars generally don’t like being submerged in water for any extended period of time. So, you can imagine our surprise when we came across this curious case involving a Tesla Model X in Hungary.
The Model X, finished in a shade of blue, somehow slid into the Danube River on September 6 last year at a ferry dock not too far from Budapest. We only just heard about the incident after images and details were shared to Reddit.
Read: Regulators Open Another Tesla Investigation Over Model X Seatbelts
The story goes that the Tesla somehow slid into the water while no one was inside. Based on images shared online by Index last year, it seems likely that the EV slid down the concrete boat ramp, perhaps after the driver forgot to put it into park and enable the parking brake.
Image Pest Megyei Kutató-Mentő Szolgálat
It is understood that the driver immediately contacted firefighters after the Model X hit the water but by the time they arrived, the SUV was completely submerged in the river. A crew of rescue divers had to be called to search for the Tesla.
After the car was located, it was then a matter of pulling out from its watery grave. When it emerged, it did so with the rear falcon doors and the trunk open.
Despite the fact that the Model X was completely submerged and no doubt suffered some significant water damage, it’s claimed that the owner managed to sell it for €22,000 (~$24,000) the day after the incident. We have no idea why someone would want to buy an EV that had been lying at the bottom of a river but they must have thought that some of its parts were salvageable.