Is it possible to water wash Tesla cars?
This blog post was prompted by a question on Quora. It looks like, because of its electric-based propulsion system, there is a lot of confusion on whether or not is it safe to wash a Tesla car with water.
Let’s get right into it.
Every single car, including Tesla, are tested for water leaks during the manufacturing process.
(Watch this video of Nissan testing one of their models.)
Although (in the video) you can see a technician holding a pressure washer literally inches away from the door seal, I do not recommend you ever do that.
Cars are designed to be water-resistant during normal driving operations. (that’s why you can drive them in the rain.)
(image from water-leak testing)
Tesla’s battery pack is protected so that water wouldn’t reach it.
But, just like with everything else in life, common sense is recommended.
Because, even though they are water-resistant, they are not water-proof. (Not even boats are…)
If you own a Tesla, I would imagine that one of the reasons for choosing it was its “environment-friendliness”.
If that’s the case, to be consistent with that, your first choice for washing your Tesla would be a waterless or rinseless type of wash.
(waterless wash)
(rinseless wash)
They use substantially less water than traditional washing methods, and create virtually no run-off to storm drains.
However, if you should choose to go the traditional way, I would use a low-pressure water source, such as a garden hose.
Try not to spray water directly against door seals.
Even though it sounds counter-intuitive, it is not the battery pack that’s most sensitive to water. It’s the interior…
Because the reality is that cars are a mass-produced item.
And when you produce volumes of anything, mistakes happen.