What the evidence shows
Ordinary weather exposure and prolonged flood submersion are different conditions. NHTSA's 2024 work explicitly distinguishes them, while its flood-damage research documents saltwater entry and persistent stored energy that require serious precautions.
Older vehicles or current generations?
No direct older-versus-modern safety comparison is available. NHTSA's flood teardown covers only MY2017–2022 vehicles, while the linked Tesla Model 3 guidance spans MY2017–2023; neither establishes the behavior of 2024+ designs. Flood submersion evidence also cannot be generalized to normal rain exposure.
We separate vehicles from before 2023 and 2023 onward. A report’s publication date does not establish a vehicle’s model year or a battery’s manufacturing date.
Before 2023
Before 2023Hurricane Ian flood-damaged EV teardown
- Vehicles / sample
- 10 vehicles: Tesla Model Y (2), 2022; Tesla Model 3 (2020 and 2018); Porsche Taycan, 2022; Lucid Air Grand Touring, 2022; Tesla Model X (2), 2017; Tesla Model X, 2020; Tesla Model S, 2018.
- Vehicle years
- 2017, 2018, 2020, and 2022; all are pre-2023 model years.
- Battery chemistry
- High-voltage traction-pack chemistry is not reported. The report separately lists 12V battery types; those are not the traction batteries.
- Battery capacity
- High-voltage pack capacity is not reported; pack voltages are not capacity ratings.
- Battery manufacture
- Not reported; vehicles were recovered after Hurricane Ian in 2022, stored until June 2023, then acquired for teardown in July–August 2023.
- Observation period
- Flood exposure during Hurricane Ian in 2022; teardown conducted July–August 2023; report published November 2024.
2023 and newer
No separate result for this group is established by the cited evidence.
Mixed vehicle generationsTesla Model 3 submerged-vehicle guidance
- Vehicles / sample
- Tesla Model 3; the linked owner's manual is published for model years 2017–2023.
- Vehicle years
- 2017–2023 manual coverage spans pre-2023 and 2023 versions; later model years are not covered by this linked manual page.
- Battery chemistry
- Not stated in the guidance.
- Battery capacity
- Not stated in the guidance.
- Battery manufacture
- Not reported.
- Observation period
- Manufacturer safety guidance; live manual accessed 2026-10-05.
Vehicle years not establishedU.S. ordinary-weather and flood-damage guidance
- Vehicles / sample
- NHTSA's proposal and consumer safety guidance cover vehicle/charging-equipment classes without identifying sampled EV models. INL's research account describes flood-damaged batteries without publishing a model-year roster.
- Vehicle years
- Not reported; these are regulatory and consumer guidance, not a model-year-stratified fleet study.
- Battery chemistry
- Not stratified by chemistry in the cited guidance; the INL article does not provide a model-specific chemistry breakdown.
- Battery capacity
- Not reported by vehicle or battery version.
- Battery manufacture
- Not reported.
- Observation period
- NHTSA proposal published April 2024; cited NHTSA and INL consumer/research guidance accessed 2026-10-05.
“Not reported” means the source does not disclose it. Model year, first registration, vehicle assembly and battery manufacture are different dates. Unmatched studies cannot establish how much newer batteries improved.
Which brands do these results describe?
NHTSA’s selected Hurricane Ian teardown sample names Tesla, Porsche and Lucid vehicles but reports shared damage findings, not comparative brand outcomes. The source supports naming inspected models only; it is not a make-specific flood-safety or fire-rate comparison.
EV-focused brands
Tesla · Lucid
NHTSA’s selected teardown included Model Y, Model 3, Model X and Model S vehicles; no Tesla-specific outcome rate.
One 2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring was inspected; no brand-level result.
Established multi-powertrain brands
Porsche
One 2022 Taycan was inspected in the selected flood-damaged sample; no brand-level result.
All manufacturers are OEMs. These groups describe brand focus, not a quality ranking or country of origin. EV-focused brands can also sell plug-in hybrids. Results apply to the identified models, batteries and conditions.
Manufacturer and model sources (2)
Includes historical inputs from before 2023. Vehicle cohorts, observation periods and publication dates are listed separately.
Ordinary exposure and submersion are different tests
The misleading step is treating rain and a battery submerged in contaminated floodwater as the same exposure. In April 2024, NHTSA proposed electrical isolation checks after vehicle washing and a controlled shallow-standing-water test. The agency explained that normal-operation water exposure is different from catastrophic floods and storm surges, which the proposal did not address through those tests. This was proposed regulation, not proof that every existing car passed it. It nevertheless shows why a flood warning cannot establish that any rain makes all EVs unsafe. [1]
NHTSA's current consumer safety guide makes this distinction explicit: it says plug-in EV chargers are weather-resistant and charging in rain is acceptable, while warning that flood-exposed batteries should not be exposed to standing water. That general guidance does not certify a particular damaged vehicle or charger. [5]
Saltwater flood damage is a documented hazard
NHTSA's November 2024 teardown report examined ten vehicles recovered after Hurricane Ian in 2022. Nine still retained substantial charge after water exposure and ten months of storage. Investigators found pathways for saltwater to enter battery packs. None of these selected vehicles experienced a thermal event, so the report does not show that every submerged EV burns. Equally, the retained energy and water entry prevent using that absence of fire as a certificate of safety. This is historical case material published in 2024, not a 2024 fire-rate survey. [2]
Idaho National Laboratory's April 2024 account of the research explains why seawater exposure matters: damaged batteries can retain energy, while corrosion and water intrusion create hazards for occupants, responders and recovery workers. It also identifies corrosion and mold as concerns if damaged vehicles remain operational. The problem is a specific damaged condition requiring assessment; it should neither be dismissed as an anti-EV invention nor broadened into a claim about every normally functioning car in wet weather. [3]
What owners should do with that distinction
Tesla's submerged-vehicle guidance tells owners to treat prolonged submersion as an accident, contact their insurer and avoid operating the vehicle until an authorized shop has inspected it. It calls for safe towing and storage at least 50 feet, or 15 meters, from structures and combustible materials. Fire, smoke, hissing, popping or heating are reasons to move away and contact first responders. These instructions concern a submerged vehicle, not an invitation to perform electrical repairs yourself. [4]
For ordinary use, consult the vehicle and charging-equipment instructions. No general statement about weather resistance makes driving into a flood advisable, and a vehicle's ability to move afterward does not establish that its battery is undamaged. The accurate response to exaggerated rain claims must preserve the seriousness of genuine submersion hazards. NHTSA separately advises keeping a damaged lithium-ion vehicle out of a garage and at least 50 feet from structures or combustibles, and contacting the dealer or emergency services if battery damage is suspected. [5]
Data period: NHTSA proposal published 2024-04 and teardown report published 2024-11 of ten vehicles flood-exposed during Hurricane Ian in 2022 and stored for ten months; current NHTSA consumer guidance accessed 2026-10-05
What this does—and doesn’t—tell us
- The flood report is a small selected case study, not a comparative fire-risk denominator or a national annual EV fire rate.
- The flood event predates the 2023–2026 window. It is included as explicitly labeled historical material reported in 2024.
- This article does not certify a particular damaged vehicle or charger safe. Manufacturer handling guidance is model-specific, and ordinary-weather operation should follow the applicable manuals.
- NHTSA's rain and flood advice is general consumer guidance, not a certification of every vehicle, connector, charger or flood-damaged battery; follow the vehicle and charging-equipment manuals.
Flood warnings do not prove that ordinary rain makes all EVs unsafe. A submerged or saltwater-damaged EV is a separate, serious case: follow the manufacturer's recovery guidance and obtain professional inspection before use.
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