Elon Musk Pitches 'Party & Camper Mode' for Tesla Vehicles as Possible Dog Whistle to Swingers

Complain about Tesla Motors’ hype machine all you like; it’s still an innovative company. Unfortunately, it has painted itself into a bit of a corner as a result. Still lacking the production might of its much larger competitors, it continues to brand itself as an upstart as it works on improving volume. That means its CEO, Elon Musk, has to continue coming up with new ideas and gimmicks to keep the public impressed.

This week, he came up with a special vehicle mode that would improve the vehicle’s usability while parked. But we can’t exactly tell if it’s a good idea or a bunch of meaningless fluff. Dubbed by Musk as “ party & camper mode,” the setting would allow drivers to maintain in-car airflow, regulate the temperature, play music, charge devices, and have access to lighting for up to 48 hours.

There’s no timeline for the feature, but it would likely be done through via over-the-air updates, meaning it could be applied to every Tesla vehicle currently on the road.

While the heater can be a major power hog on electric vehicles, especially in cold weather, running the rest of the accessories shouldn’t make a huge difference. Assuming it’s a temperate day, the hypothetical camper mode shouldn’t cost you more than a handful of miles in lost range.

You can already run the A/C, heater, and all of the accessories you want in a silent and stationary Tesla and it’ll keep track of your range for roughly 30 minutes before shutting off. It’s unclear as to how the camping mode would be any different beyond extending the time limit. Presumably, it would disable drive mode and optimize power usage.

Tesla was supposed to release an update to keep climate control running for extended periods while the vehicle’s parked late last year. Customers can also jury-rig a faux camper mode by placing the vehicle into neutral and applying the parking brake. While it’s definitely a better car hack than the orange that overrode the safety features associated with Autopilot, it’s far from perfect.

It’s probably best to wait for company to issue a complete update. But 48 hours seems like a bit much, as sleeping in a Tesla for more than six hours at a rest stop seems like the outer limits of what would be needed. Then again, maybe there’s a big outdoor contingent within the EV community we aren’t aware of. Musk noted that feature could be used for camping AND parties — which we all know is code for swinging.

[Image: Tesla]