Back in 2019, Tesla introduced a “Camp Mode,” to keep the air conditioning on while its vehicles were nominally off. Now, you can extend the capabilities of the Model Y even further, with a tailgate tent created specifically for it.
Tentsla, a company founded in 2021, is looking for backers as part of a Kickstarter campaign to get the company off the ground. It has created the X1, a tent that attaches securely to the back of a Model Y in order to make EV camping even easier.
The accessory is available with a velcro wraparound function that creates what Tentsla describes as an airtight seal between the tent and the vehicle. That means that, when the Model Y is in Camp Mode, it can also heat or cool the air inside the tent.
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Designed to fit in the frunk or lower trunk of the Model Y, the tent doesn’t fold up quite as small as similarly-sized tents that don’t attach to the back of a Tesla. However, it doesn’t require any mucking about with folding rods that never quite fit into the flaps as easily as you’d hope, because the Tentsla X1 can be inflated and installed in around five minutes with the help of an (optionally integrated) air pump.
The tent gives owners 7.2 x 7.1 feet (2.16 x 2.19 meters) of floor space, enough to fit four occupants, Tentsla says. It is made of 210D Oxford nylon fabric, which is silver-coated on the inside for better insulation properties. The company says that the material can withstand 3,000 to 6,000 milliliters of water pressure.
For days when the weather is nicer, the Tenstla X1 also has screened in windows that provide the tent’s occupants with views in three directions, as well as a cross-breeze. Three awnings act as shades for the tent. One of the awnings expands over the vehicle in order to shelter it from the weather, too.
Prices for the Tentsla X1 start at $1,199, but significant discounts are offered to backers of the project. As of April 10, the company has 78 backers, and $45,851 in pledges for the tent. The company expects to start delivering tents to backers in May.