Video: Flood-damaged Audi E-Tron GT electric car fixed with rice

A YouTube star claims to have dried-out a flood-damaged Audi electric car by immersing it in rice – adopting the same life hack used to dry-out waterlogged mobile phones.

The theory: moisture is gradually drawn away because rice is an absorbent material. But does it work with an object the size of a car?

A YouTube star in the US has tested the theory by immersing an expensive electric vehicles in a giant crate of rice.

Rich Benoit, presenter of the Rich Rebuilds YouTube channel, purchased a flood-damaged Audi E-Tron GT at auction for $US55,000 ($AU79,000).

Given a new Audi E-Tron GT is priced from $US104,900 (the Audi E-Tron GT starts locally from $AU180,200 before options and on-road costs), it seemed like a good deal except for one crucial thing. The car didn't work.

In the first video about the car, Rich and his team try to jump-start the electrics on the stricken Audi but have no luck.

The team then try some 'internet science' blended with real science and build a crate around the car where the remaining volume was filled with 4275 pounds (about 2 tonnes) of free rice that had passed its used-by date.

After leaving the car for a few days, the team tries to start the car again and – surprisingly – it works.

While it is worth noting the video points out there are risks to using rice to dry out your phone (dust and other particles can do more damage than the water) – let alone your car.

The video clip amassed almost 500,000 views in its first week.

Whether the car makes a full recovery remains to be seen, no doubt in a third follow-up video.

You can view the first video where they collect the Audi here: