Another electric car in the US bricked due to water on the floor (2 photos)
A brand new 2026 model year Lucid Air leased by an American ruined his Thanksgiving plans, which are celebrated on the last Thursday of November. A pothole hit him on the way back from shopping, knocking over a bottle of drinking water in the trunk. The water spilled, penetrated vital contacts, and shorted them out. 
Literally seconds after the mini-flood, the dashboard lit up, the electric car went into limp mode, reducing power and disabling recuperation, and the driver received a warning to stop driving. After stopping, the man attempted to reboot the on-board system, but the car remained stubbornly stuck in Park mode.
The ordeal continued when the tow truck driver reported that he couldn't move the electric sedan because it wouldn't shift into neutral—a common problem for many electric car owners. Only a different tow truck, arriving the next day, was able to tow the disabled car to a repair shop.
The American's frustration grew even more acute when he learned the cost of the repairs. Initially, technicians estimated $1,000—an inconsiderable, albeit disappointing, figure—but later a Lucid representative offered a completely different figure: $15,000! Insurance coverage was not possible, as the spill was the driver's fault, as he hadn't properly capped the bottle and driven over a pothole.
The story eventually ended happily when, a few days later, the insurers agreed with Lucid to pay for the Air's repairs. Nevertheless, this is the second incident this fall in the US where accidental spilled water has disabled electric vehicles, leaving customers paying for the design flaws. 
