Ask Tappity: Science Questions for Kids > Can Cars Drive Underwater?

Can Cars Drive Underwater?

Is there any way a car could drive underwater? Has anyone made an underwater car? Watch this video to find out, or read our explanation below!

Car in water

Cars Break in Water

Cars use lots of electrical systems to work, and water makes electric circuits short out and stop working (fun fact - this is actually due to impurities in the water. Distilled water doesn’t harm electronics, theoretically). Also, many cars run on internal combustion engines, which basically spark thousands of tiny gasoline explosions in order to work. If the engine is submerged in water, those explosions can’t happen.

 

The World’s Only Underwater Car

But where there’s a will, and a lot of money and time, there’s a way! Swiss automotive visionary and man-who-loves-James-Bond-movies Frank M. Rinderknecht successfully engineered the Rinspeed Squba, the world’s only underwater car built to date. The Squba drives on land like a regular car, and uses propellers to move through water like a submarine. The internal components are waterproofed to prevent damage, and scuba gear is provided for the driver and passenger.

Rinspeed Squba

Car Facts for Kids

Got car questions? We’ve got car answers!

  • There are lots of amphibious vehicles - vehicles that can drive from the land onto water, and from water onto land. They are used by militaries and vehicle enthusiasts around the world for all sorts of diversions.

  • Yes, there is! The aptly-named AirCar can transform into an airplane in just a few minutes, and then take off from the runway and fly for hours.

  • Basically, cars spray gasoline onto pistons, which it then ignites with a spark plug. The tiny explosions move the pistons back and forth, turning a crank, which turns the wheels.

  • Some people say the rubber tires insulate you and keep you safe, but that’s not true. What IS true is that the inside of a car is relatively safe from a lightning strike, but that’s due to the metal roof and frame, not the tires.

  • The current land speed record is 760 mph (1,220 km/hr), which was set in 1997 in a jet-powered car called the ThrustSSC. It was the first land vehicle to officially break the sound barrier!

More Answers to Engineering Questions from Kids

How do airplanes stay up? How do hot air balloons work? The Tappity Engineering Library has interactive lessons with answers to those questions and more!

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