Is Tesla's Cybertruck a Truck or Boat? Elon Musk Claims Both

Tesla's Cybertruck will apparently be a multi-tasker. Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted Thursday that the vehicle can "briefly" serve as a boat.

"Cybertruck will be waterproof enough to serve briefly as a boat, so it can cross rivers, lakes & even seas that aren't too choppy," Musk said in the tweet.

The word "briefly" is doing some heavy lifting here. Many automobiles -- and other objects -- can "briefly" serve as boats, but briefly might mean a second or two before they start to sink.

There is also a question of how large of a body of water this electric vehicle would be able to cross. What's the limit? There's also a concern about what happens if a Cybertruck malfunctions in the water. Teslas have a short but checkered past when it comes to safety, from allegedly catching fire to causing crashes in Autopilot mode.

But Musk also has a checkered past when it comes to claims he's made on Twitter.

In January 2017, Musk claimed that Teslas would have full self-driving capabilities in six months. It wasn't until 2021 when some customers could request the Full Self-Driving feature. 

Musk also claimed in 2017 that people would be able to drive from New York City to Washington, DC, in 29 minutes thanks to the Hyperloop tunnel. The last status update on the Hyperloop is that its test track was completed.

Tesla plans to start Cybertruck production in 2023 after initially claiming it would start in 2021.

For more about Tesla and Musk, read our preview of Tesla's AI Day, Musk's claims about the Starship Rocket and Twitter's legal battle against Musk.

Watch this: Tesla AI Day 2022 Rumors: Elon Musk's AI Plans, Tesla Bot and Driverless Cars

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