- The owner of the R1T found it caked in mud, but it still functions as if nothing had ever happened.
- Rivian goes to great lengths to seal the battery packs of its EVs, preventing any water intrusion.
- If onboard systems detect any water entering the battery pack, power is automatically cut.
As you’re likely aware, electricity and salt water go together about as well as cats and baths—or more aptly, like Teslas and Florida floods, as evidenced by a recent viral video of one spontaneously catching fire after a swim.
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Yet, in a twist that might give Tesla fans pause, a Rivian R1T caught in the chaos of Hurricane Helene has shown that not all EVs crumble at the sight of water. Some, apparently, can handle a bit of an impromptu bath.
Take this particular R1T, for instance. Its owner had parked it outside a U-Haul facility near the Swannanoa River in Asheville, North Carolina, blissfully unaware that a wild Category 4 hurricane was about to turn the whole area into a swamp.
More: Hurricane Helene Destroys 672 Cars At A Single Kia Florida Dealer
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It destroyed thousands of vehicles, and when the owner returned to his R1T, likely expecting it to be wrecked, he found it had floated around 150 feet down from where he’d parked it. It was also covered in a thick layer of mud.
Speaking in a video uploaded to Facebook, the owner admitted he fully expected to be on the phone with his insurance company to report the Rivian as a total loss. However, it started up like nothing had ever happened and remains completely functional. The driver has even been able to charge it without any issues.
Now, considering the R1T has been designed as a capable off-roader, maybe it shouldn’t be all that surprising that Rivian worked extensively to ensure that water can’t get into its battery packs. Speaking with InsideEVs recently, a Rivian spokesperson confirmed that the brand seals all of its battery packs. It also uses an isolation monitoring system which automatically cuts power if it detects any water in the pack.
Read: Rivian Gets Into The Used EV Game With Pre-Owned Program
Nevertheless, the owner of this R1T would be wise to take it to a Rivian mechanic to be inspected, just to be 100 percent sure that it is indeed completely safe to drive and isn’t at risk of unexpectedly shutting down or catching fire.
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Image credit: Joshua Vincent Sauer
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