Why EV Road Trip?

The global market share held by electric vehicles more than doubled in 2021, In 2023, Tesla delivered 1.81 million vehicles globally, a 38% increase from 2022. The addition of more affordable options like the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y - the top-two selling EV models in the US four years in a row - made adoption of the EV lifestyle even more appealing to the masses. As traditional vehicle manufacturers introduce their own electrified lineups and decrease production of ICE - internal combustion engine - vehicles, the trend toward electric will likely only continue.

Meanwhile, you’ve almost certainly heard of #vanlife. Spurred on by travel bloggers showing the world how simple, and beautiful, travel can be, road trips gained an entirely new level of prestige in the months during the pandemic. Feeling an urgent need to get out and do something after being quarantined for so long, people began traveling like never before - RV sales records were set, broken, and set again in 2021 - and blogs and Instagram accounts featuring magnificent views from the inside of vans swept the internet…

Why #vanlife? Travelers wanted a way to camp that was both inexpensive and - well, safe. Avoiding the pandemic meant continuing to social distance, even out on the road. For some travelers that meant new travel habits: avoiding flying… forgoing hotels in favor of sleeping in vehicles… and even taking solo or couples trips, instead of the group travel they may have booked in the past.

Whether in a 1970s-era Volkswagon campervan or a custom-conversion vehicle with the latest in solar and other technology, it’s safe to say that many, many people discovered an entirely new method of travel - and, for some, a whole new way of life.

What is Tesla Camping? Think of #vanlife - without the van. As EVs have exploded in popularity, so have EV road trips - travelers are pushing the limits of travel, getting as far as they can on a charge and sleeping in their vehicle instead of finding lodging along the route.

Some campgrounds eschew EV camping, dismissing it as the same thing as car camping. ‘Car camping’ is just what it sounds like - sleeping in a car or mini-van, often on a road trip. While this can be done safely with the use of heaters or fans to help with climate control and air circulation, some ‘car campers’ have ruined it for the rest - rules intended to prevent noisy engines running all night, vehicle exhaust, and the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning have long been in place at many campgrounds.

EV camping is NOT the same thing as car camping. The lack of a traditional internal combustion engine in an electric vehicle means there is no exhaust, and no carbon monoxide - and, thus, no possibility of pollution or poisoning.

And EVs like the Tesla Model 3/Y have a feature called ‘camp mode’ that keeps their climate control operating all night long without disturbing the peace and quiet. It keeps my car running at whatever temperature I set it to, with enough power left over to charge my phone, power my CPAP, and run a security system complete with video recording functionality.

In January 2022 I embarked on a 5,000 mile road trip, traveling from my home in upstate New York to the Florida Keys and back. I spent the night in ten different campgrounds across five states, and loved every minute of it. I like to say my Tesla Model 3 is a zero-emissions, climate-controlled sleeping pod on wheels. I woke up one morning after sleeping on Cape Hatteras National Seashore, stepped out of my vehicle, and looked down to see traces of gasoline and motor oil where I was standing. Do you know whose vehicle doesn’t leak engine fluids onto the beach? That would be my Model 3…

Clean, cheap travel is coming. It will be spurred on by the adoption of electric vehicles, as well as a continued desire to travel cheaply and cleanly. Here’s hoping more campgrounds come on board in the very near future…

The Benefits of TeslaCamping

ZERO EMISSIONS

No internal combustion engine means no CO2, ever, in an electric vehicle. No exhaust. No noise. No engine rumble. No pollution. No risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. None.

‘CAMP MODE’ MEANS NO TENT NECESSARY!

A Tesla-exclusive feature called ‘Camp Mode’ keeps the car at a comfortable temperature no matter the weather. In Virginia I experienced temperatures as low as 17 degrees, and I was warm and toasty all night long! Some EV campers choose to add an SUV-style tent to increase their space and keep the tented area heated and/or cooled, as well.

ALL-GLASS ROOF

Imagine sleeping underneath the stars, inside the comfort of your vehicle? I watched meteors shoot across the sky in the Florida Keys. Try doing that from inside a tent…

INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM

Want to Netflix and chill? You can do that! The vehicle comes equipped with Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, TikTok, Twitch, and more. It’s got Spotify and other streaming music functions, as well. It even has a web browser! What will they think of next?

I watched ‘Outer Banks’ in the Outer Banks. Rainy day? Ice and snow? No problem… you’ll never get bored on an EV road trip!

30 & 50 AMP CHARGING

Most models of Tesla (S/3/X/Y) are capable of charging overnight with 50-amp service. And 30-amp service will top up the car, as well. (Click here [coming soon] for more information on adapters). No electric? No problem! Camp Mode averages just 2-3 miles of range per hour - there’s plenty left so spare, so even those sleeping in the most primitive of campground sites will wake up and be able to drive on out of there…

ACCESSORIES!

So many products exist that make your #EVroadtrip even more electrifying! Tesla-specific mattresses add to your comfort while sleeping in the car. Add an attached tent like the Napier Backroadz SUV (or other car tents) for even more climate-controlled space and room for guests. Coolers designed to fit in the vehicle’s ‘trunk’ or ‘sub-trunk’ make it possible to go ‘off-grid’ longer. There’s no limit to the products that are being designed to make #TeslaCamping and #EVCamping better and better. This truly is the future of road trips!