Elon Musk tends to rattle off a bunch of ideas on Twitter that may or may not ever come to fruition, but a Camper Mode that allows continued use of air flow and power outlets for over 48 hours is a mighty fine idea. Camping owns.
Musk said Monday that he wants to introduce a “Party & Camper mode” for the Tesla Model S, X, and 3, which would make it far easier to park your car and chill for a long while.
That would include air flow, selective lights, music, and power outlets, and according to Musk, Tesla batteries could keep it going for 48 hours.
Tesla’s ability to introduce over-the-air updates could make this happen soon, as Carscoops points out, but it’s unclear if, and when, that’s supposed to happen. A Tesla spokesperson had no comment beyond what’s in Musk’s tweet.
Now, I’m not sure who needs to hold a 48 hour party with the aid of their car, or who requires power for two days while they’re camping. Or why Tesla has not deigned it appropriate to include other camping necessities, such as a toilet (though rest assured that we’ve got your bodily evacuation needs covered).
But this seems like a handy feature for Tesla owners who enjoy camping and, say, tend to find themselves at camp sites with no electrical hookups. This is me. When I camp, I like to set up a tent, make a fire, and play cards. Ideally, I can have an outlet to charge my phone, but oftentimes I don’t, which sucks, because then I lose the ability to wake up in the morning and take photos of the sky or my tent (natural human things).
What I’d like to be able to do is shove off for the great unknown of Absolutely Nowhere and set up in the backwoods where all I have is some leaves and sticks, and to literally dig a hole if I want to house a fire, and mentally handle the possibility that I’m sleeping next to bears without fearing that I’ll get killed by these hypothetical bears.
But, that’s not me. I’m a rube. I like to be able to plug my phone in and have a full charge to start the day and not risk depleting my car’s battery (a common risk when dealing with my 1996 Chevy Cavalier or shitty Ford Focus). Call me a rube, whatever. I find it practical.
So give me Camper Mode, please.
It’s an even better move for younger people who can’t afford a home, instead, maybe you can take out a loan for a Model X and pay it off in perpetuity (a hot new trend nowadays). Who needs an actual home? You have a Tesla. Congratulations.
Or maybe you are just itching to party for 48 hours in the middle of nowhere. Be the best you can be.