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Camping in/with a Tesla

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SamWhu30

SamWhu30

Member
Jan 2, 2024
59
26
Essex, UK
#1
I’m surprised to see that no one has brought this up yet but I think it would be good to have a thread where people post sites across the UK where they have either camped and been able to plug in or places that people have been able to sleep in their Tesla without being disturbed.

I think it’s a really cool idea (maybe a novelty) but I will definitely be trying it out.

So… where’s the best places to go?
 
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#2
SamWhu30 said:
I’m surprised to see that no one has brought this up yet but I think it would be good to have a thread where people post sites across the UK where they have either camped and been able to plug in or places that people have been able to sleep in their Tesla without being disturbed.

I think it’s a really cool idea (maybe a novelty) but I will definitely be trying it out.

So… where’s the best places to go?
Click to expand...
I suspect on The Venn diagram of people who own Tesla's and people who camp regularly the overlap historically has been small. Plenty of Threads about charging at hotels........
 
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#3
Are you thinking "Stealth Camps" or Camp Sites? The easiest for charging at a campsite is to book a pitch with an electric hookup for a caravan, and then use the Granny Charger with a 16A plug (like the ones used to power kids rides outside the amusements).

Stealth camping is a whole 'nother kettle of fish. Vans tend to do this by not having windows etc, you don't have this luxury so it will likely be pretty obvious you are in there sleeping ;)
 
#4
Jason71 said:
I suspect on The Venn diagram of people who own Tesla's and people who camp regularly the overlap historically has been small. Plenty of Threads about charging at hotels........
Click to expand...
True, but I'm still surprised that people haven't had a really good experience somewhere and then its sparked off a conversation.

Oxid8ter said:
Are you thinking "Stealth Camps" or Camp Sites? The easiest for charging at a campsite is to book a pitch with an electric hookup for a caravan, and then use the Granny Charger with a 16A plug (like the ones used to power kids rides outside the amusements).

Stealth camping is a whole 'nother kettle of fish. Vans tend to do this by not having windows etc, you don't have this luxury so it will likely be pretty obvious you are in there sleeping ;)
Click to expand...
I wanted to hear peoples experiences on both tbh. Seen lots of campsites that offer electric but have a strict no EV charging policy, even seen stories of people being told to pack up and leave after charging their car! 😂

Regarding stealth camping I saw someone on TikTok that parks in a car park and puts shades on the windows and because no one would expect people to sleep in a car so it's fine.
 
#5
It’s a pain in the arse in the UK for a whole bunch of reasons, not least we don’t have much great unexplored wilderness or land you can just stop on without angry farmers appearing.

You’re either having to dodge parking restrictions at popular locations, dealing with random loud people/traffic at strange hours, or staying somewhere less optimal to try and get some peace.

I’ve found on the few occasions I’ve slept in the car that finding a country pub with a slow 7kw AC charger is the best bet - giving you somewhere to use the loo the night before and relative peace and quiet in the morning, while being somewhat secure. Tried a few overnights at relatively isolated beaches but the 5am dog walkers are loud as hell and didn’t make for the peaceful experience I’d hoped.

Still good for emergencies, and for longer stays there are a few camp sites that allow/encourage EV users as customers, but the more you plan the better your experience will be, but at the point I’m paying for a campsite I’d pretty much just pick a hotel instead.
 
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#6
Bjørn Nyland has a decent number of YouTubes where he has "slept in the back" (and of a variety of EVs). But not in UK ... he's in Norway ... but he has slept up in the Artic circle in mid Winter ...

So decent test of CAMP mode keeping the car warm, figuring out how to stop the car from "turning off" after a while, and so on (solved these days, for Tesla, not-so-much for other brands).

He has used window shades to get a dark night's sleep too. Can't see any sign of a CAMPING playlist though ...
 
#7
SamWhu30 said:
I wanted to hear peoples experiences on both tbh. Seen lots of campsites that offer electric but have a strict no EV charging policy, even seen stories of people being told to pack up and leave after charging their car! 😂
Click to expand...
To be fair to them neither the capacity of the caravan hookup points or the cost structure in most campsites were designed with EV charging in mind.
 
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#10
SamWhu30 said:
hat’s 2 people that have mentioned him in 2 threads that I’m watching in the space of about 5 minutes haha
Click to expand...

He's been around "forever". Originally only Tesla stuff (know as TeslaBjorn at that time, and TB logo lingers ...). It has turned out, in his favour, that Norway has gone All-In on EVs - they have infrastructure, loads of hydro electricity, and a gargantuan sovereign wealth fund (ironically earned from sale of Oil [whereas UK spent North Sea Oil windfalls on Unemployment benefit et al, rather than doing the sensible thing of creating a sovereign wealth fund]). Also, Germany is on his doorstep so he was able to do Max Speed "Schnell Schnell" testing too.

He gave up his data job (high-end IT software job as I recollect) before it was the least bit obvious (to me) that a Tesla Fan Boy could have a full time job as a YouTuber ... but he has an interesting & endearing presentation style, and subsequent EV brands have included him in their review-journalist-list.

He won various Tesla promotion competitions - e.g. for "most referrals", that netted him a Model-X and I think a Model-S too, and also 2x Roadster-II (if they ever get built). And he was invited to California for the launch of THIS and THAT (M3 and Semi?, but that's from memory so unreliable)
 
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#11
SamWhu30 said:
I’m surprised to see that no one has brought this up yet but I think it would be good to have a thread where people post sites across the UK where they have either camped and been able to plug in or places that people have been able to sleep in their Tesla without being disturbed.

I think it’s a really cool idea (maybe a novelty) but I will definitely be trying it out.

So… where’s the best places to go?
Click to expand...
I can see camping in a Y/X but not in a 3... I mean I guess you COULD put the back seats down and put some padding/mattress but I don't think it would be overly comfortable..

Definitely think its a novelty idea.. maybe you do it once and not again.

I'd be more inclined to get a car roof tent if you're keen on camping. Tentbox have great products.
 
#12
1 - Many campsites strictly forbid “car camping.” You have to sleep in a caravan, campervan or tent. Even a roof tent counts. I’m not sure why this is the case, but there must be some reason.

2 - Many campsites strictly forbid EV charging from the campsite EHU supply.

Bearing in mind the above, you’re not going to get too many people camping out in their Teslas.

However, there’s plenty of people who go camping with their Teslas. It’s just a car, at the end of the day. There’s even some hardy folk who tow caravans with their Teslas. Not as many about, but an increasing number.

Here’s us towing our folding camper.
IMG_5418.jpeg
 
#14
SamWhu30 said:
I wanted to hear peoples experiences on both tbh. Seen lots of campsites that offer electric but have a strict no EV charging policy, even seen stories of people being told to pack up and leave after charging their car!
Click to expand...

Tried it once and i have a thread somewhere on here. I was in amongst a bunch of tents and was very conscious of the noise the car was making, so much so i ended up turning camp mode off.

It ended up being a cold night and moisture build up meant i had drops of condensation. Wasn't a great experience
 
#15
debrooker said:
Tried it once and i have a thread somewhere on here. I was in amongst a bunch of tents and was very conscious of the noise the car was making, so much so i ended up turning camp mode off.

It ended up being a cold night and moisture build up meant i had drops of condensation. Wasn't a great experience
Click to expand...

I’m surprised the car makes a noticeable noise to be honest. I’ve never been outside one when camp mode is on so would have no idea.
 
#18
debrooker said:
Found my post

teslamotorsclub.com

So I tried camping in the car for one night......

and it wasn't a great experience - fair amount of it self inflicted. My son and I went for to do a bit of kayaking down the Medway, so for one night we thought we'd give sleeping in the car ago rather than a tent. (Featured Image Courtesy of Tesla, Inc) As we we were only planning to stay...
teslamotorsclub.com teslamotorsclub.com
Click to expand...

Just had a read, have read a few pages and really interesting stuff. I’m pretty sure I’ll give it a try at some point even if it is cramped! Just need to find the right situation.

Maybe if I’m ever camping and the campsites flooding during the night I can climb into the dry warm car 😂
 
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