Tesla's Gigafactory 3 May Be Testing a Flood-Resistant Made-in China Model 3

Tesla’s Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai may be testing a flood-resistant version of its Made-in-China Model 3. A flood-resistant Tesla sedan means the all-electric car maker is thinking about the needs of its local customers in China and the rest of the countries in the region. Southeast Asia has suffered from a growing number of typhoons and super typhoons lately, and a flood-resistant vehicle would be useful to anyone stuck in the middle of them.

Tesla-owner @JayinShanghai shared a video via Twitter of a Model 3 being driven through water on Gigafactory 3 premises. The Tesla enthusiast speculated that Gigafactory 3 was making a flood-resistant version of the locally-produced Model 3. 

Based on the video, it seems possible that @JayinShanghai is right. The Tesla sedan can be seen driving through water that reached almost above its nose. It didn’t stall midway and kept going straight through, so the Made-in-China Model 3 could theoretically help anyone get to safety during a mild typhoon in Southeast Asia.

Tesla Gigafactory 3 Exclusive Video: MIC Tesla Model 3 under going testing driving over high water. @elonmusk Chinese Version is flood proof? Let us know what you think?#Tesla #TeslaChina #MIC #Model3 #GF3 #特斯拉 #中国 $TSLA pic.twitter.com/vx44fSwnLf

— Jay in Shanghai 🇨🇳 (@JayinShanghai) November 23, 2019

A flood-resistant vehicle would be a significant selling point in China and any country in Southeast Asia where typhoons and super typhoons hit every year--especially lately. In August, Typhoon Lekima descended on China, devastating several provinces in the country. Lekima flooded multiple provinces in the country with 732mm or 29-inches of water, reported the South China Morning Post (SCMP). 

For 2019, AccuWeather predicted 28 tropical storms, and 6 super typhoons would hit Southeast Asia. By August 2019, 11 tropical storms, 4 typhoons, and 2 super typhoons had hit the region. The horrendous storms, typhoons, and super typhoon left multiple countries in Southeast Asia with billions of dollars' worth of damage. For reference, Lekima in China caused at least US$7.6 billion in damages.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCSUSA) explained that typhoons, hurricanes, and cyclones are being exacerbated by climate change. “Accordingly to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, climate change will lead to tropical cyclones with higher rainfall, greater intensity, and greater proportion of high intensity (Category 4-5) storms," wrote UCSUSA in its report. According to Mongabay, developing nations are especially vulnerable to tropical cyclones and the like because of poverty and weak government programs to address storm-related emergencies. 

Credit: Ray4Tesla/Twitter

Climate change is a real issue, which is why more companies like Tesla should exist. Elon Musk’s electric car and energy company aims to perpetuate the idea of sustainable living through its all-electric cars, like the Model 3, and energy systems, like its solar panels and Powerwall home batteries. 

Unfortunately, climate change has already taken root--despite what some may think--and humanity now needs to take reactive measures to mitigate it as well as preventive measures to keep it from getting worse. Tesla seems to be thinking along these paths with a flood-resistant Model 3. Its all-electric cars already prevent climate change from getting worse with its zero emissions and even cleans the air with the Model S and Model X's Bioweapon Defense Mode. A flood-resistant Tesla is a more reactive measure, set in place for the safety of its customers when a typhoon or super typhoon does hit.

Featured Image Credit: Jay in Shanghai/Twitter