“You can’t go on a road trip with an Electric Vehicle.” False! Of course, you can, but there are a few things to keep in mind. Summer is right around the corner and road trips are already being planned. To make your experience as convenient as possible, Beast has brought out 3 most important things to keep in mind, while traveling with a Tesla. With Beast’s Booking system, you can easily pre-book a Tesla to your chosen location, but what happens after you have received it and start your trip? Grab a pen and a paper, and let’s jump in!
Here are 3 tips from the Beast team for your next road trip with a Tesla:
1. Charging
Honestly, it’s not as difficult and time-consuming as you think. When picking the right charger, your battery will be full within approximately 40 minutes. Everyone needs a snack, stretch, and a bathroom break anyways, right? But how to choose the right charger, what even are the options? To put it simply:
For Teslas you have three options for the chargers – Type2, Chademo, or CCS
Type2 – the slowest charger there is, it can reach up to 22Kw, and for a Model 3 that would mean about 4 hours of charging time.
Chademo – can charge between 40-50Kw with a charge time of 60 – 80 minutes. (PS: Teslas don’t have a built-in Chademo charging possibility, so you would need an adapter.)
CCS – a fast charger, that can reach charging power up to 50-300Kw, but that depends on the charger provider. Approximate time until the full battery is 35 – 60 minutes. (PS: For Beast Model X we don’t have a CCS built-in, but there’s an adapter available in the car)
Pro tips
- Use PlugShare – an EV driver’s app which works on IOS, Android, and the web. This will help you find the closest appropriate chargers and also connect with other EV drivers
- Exit the car when charging in order to decrease your charging time
- Avoid charging your phone in a Tesla if possible, it will increase your battery percentage faster
- When planning your charging stops during lunch/dinner, make sure the restaurants are within walking distance from the charging station
- When planning your trips during the cold seasons, you may need to allow yourself extra charging time because the battery may take longer to charge
2. Range
Weather conditions
Different models are suitable for different conditions. When you are traveling during winter or going to a more snowy place, then we recommend choosing a Long Range, to get the maximum range there is. Cold weather can drain the battery faster.
Tesla Range Anxiety
Is this going to be your first long road trip with a Tesla or an electric vehicle overall? Well, be sure to watch out for range anxiety. Yes, you heard it right and yes, it is a real thing. Range anxiety is the fear of your EV’s battery running out before getting to the next charging station. Although the charging infrastructure is not yet perfect, especially in Europe, EV range anxiety has more to do with psychology than the actual range of EV’s or finding charging points.
When your charging map is well thought out, then there is no need to worry about your car running empty. Just come well prepared, don’t speed and you’ll be alright.
Carry less
Less weight = less energy used.
A few essential factors which will affect Tesla’s range and drain your battery faster
- An uphill travel
- Weather conditions, such as snow, rain, and headwinds
- Driving speed
3. Take advantage of Tesla Features
Take advantage of the Camp Mode Feature
The Camp mode feature controls the airflow and the temperature in the car. Everyone can adjust the “cabin” temperature to their liking, control music, and also adjust the interior lighting. There is no doubt that this makes Teslas great for camping. No more morning sweat or night cold.
Travel with your pet
Tesla’s dog mode feature is one of our favorite features, since most of the time Beast’s Chief Happiness Officer, Flux is on the road with us. This feature makes waiting in the car for the pet super comfortable and enjoyable. No more overheating or worrying about leaving your pet in the car, when you make a quick run for some groceries.
When booking a Tesla through Beast, we also offer Dog cages, to provide the best rental experience for you and your traveling companion.
Autopilot
Futuristic and a convenient way to spend your time on the road. Despite the name, Teslas are not yet fully autonomous. With the enabled features, you still have to keep both hands on the wheel for the autopilot to function. Newer models have 8 external cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors with a powerful onboard computer to make the feature as safe as possible.
Karaoke
With the new Tesla update, you can now make your own carpool karaoke with friends or by yourself. Why wait in long lines or maybe singing in front of others is not comfortable for you, well here you have it, now you can do it in a Tesla.
There is a huge selection of music to choose from and a lot of songs in different languages. Although you indeed have to be parked for this feature to work. Fun, but let’s have it safely.
Streaming services
Watching Netflix or Youtube videos on your gadgets is so last year, the future is here! Enjoy some good content in a Tesla. The perfect way to wait while the car’s battery is charging (but keep in mind, that this will extend the charging time). Or maybe you are having a date night? No matter where you are or what the weather is, it is always a comfortable experience.
Same as with the karaoke feature, for safety reasons, you have to be parked for this feature to work.
Games
Another fun way to spend time with friends, arcade games in a Tesla. All Teslas have touch screens with which you can play them, and some games have taken a step further by including the wheel as the controller for the game. As Beast clients have well put: “Teslas are computers on wheels.” So, how could they not also have games?
Our team’s favorite is most definitely the Beach Buggy Racing, at times we can be very competitive – this is for sure one of them.
Fart Mode
Want to pull a joke on someone, well this is the way… No more words needed.
Lots of trunk space
Teslas are more spacious than we can imagine. You don’t only have a trunk but also a frunk, this is the magical part of EV’s, there is no engine in the front. Depending on your luggage, all Tesla models can fit a lot. Although the award for the most space goes to the Model X, which makes it the most logical option when traveling with a bigger crowd.
Tesla is known for their continuous innovation and drives toward a better and greener future. Tesla provides a lot of comfort and extra features to make any road trip more comfortable and exciting. They provide many fun activities to do while charging the car or waiting for someone. Road trips with Teslas make more and more sense now.
It will be exciting to see what Tesla has in store for the new generation of cars and us, the drivers.
