Elon Musk says the Tesla Model S can transform into a boat - sort of

Steve Jurvetson

Tesla's CEO Elon Musk claims the Model S  "floats well enough to turn into a boat for short periods of time."

Musk made the claim via Twitter after previously posting a link of a video showing a Model S driving through a tunnel filled with water in Kazakhstan. The rotating wheels can provide the thrust needed to make it through such situations, he said. 

Musk noted that the battery pack and the drive unit in the Model S are sealed, helping make them more resistant to water. However, he made it clear that he still does not recommend driving the Model S through high waters.

But perhaps a Tesla submarine isn't that far off. 

Musk also said via Twitter that he is still planning on creating a sports sub car that can drive on roads. Though, he noted this is just a "side project" with "limited market potential." In 2013, Musk purchased the Lotus Espirit car from the James Bond movie "The Spy Who Loved Me" so that he could turn it into a submarine.

At the time, Musk told the Huffington Post that he had plans to upgrade the car with an electric powertrain and "make it transform for real."

But last we heard, the car was still displayed at Tesla's Design Studio in Hawthorne, California.