Vehicle guide
Car camping in a Tesla Model 3
No flat bed in a Model 3, so this is the tent kit that fits its trunk, for a couple: $947, in stock on Amazon today.
The kit: 9 items, ~$947
Amazon prices, checked daily. Affiliate links: we earn a commission on Amazon purchases at no extra cost to you.
Tent
Marmot Crane Creek 3-Person Tent
- Fits:
- 3 person
- Rating:
- 3-season+
~$299
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Kelty Cosmic 40°F Sleeping Bag
- Comfort to:
- 40°F
- Fill:
- Synthetic
~$80 each (x2)
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Klymit Insulated Static V Sleeping Pad
- Warmth:
- Cool nights (R 4.4)
- Type:
- Inflatable
~$73 each (x2)
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Igloo Marine Ultra 30-Quart Cooler
- Holds:
- 30 qt
- Keeps ice:
- 3 days
~$70 last checked May 10
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MOON LENCE Compact Backpacking Chair
- Packs:
- Compact (backpacking style)
- Supports:
- 330 lbs
~$35 each (x2)
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Coleman 1000-Lumen LED Lantern (BatteryGuard)
- Brightness:
- 1000 lumens
~$43
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Lepro Rechargeable LED Headlamp
- Brightness:
- 300 lumens
- Power:
- Rechargeable
~$10
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Coleman Triton 2-Burner Propane Stove
- Burners:
- 2
- Fuel:
- Propane
~$84
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Fire-Maple Feast 12-Piece Camp Cookware Set
- Pieces:
- 12
- Surface:
- Steel
~$65
Check price on AmazonOne press puts the whole kit in your cart; take out anything you already own there.
Stock and prices checked daily (how we pick).
Not quite you? Change who is coming, the quality tier or the season - your Model 3 stays filled in.
Why the Model 3 changes the kit
Roughly 20 cu ft of trunk plus a frunk, and Camp Mode keeps climate running silently all night. A compact car, so:
- A tent that packs down to a duffel - no cabin tents.
- A cooler of 35 quarts or less - a family-size cooler does not fit beside the rest of the kit.
- Backpacking-style chairs and air or folding pads first - full-size quad chairs and rolled foam only when nothing compact is in stock.
The rear seats fold to a pass-through long enough for one person diagonally, but most owners tent-camp and use the car as a climate-controlled base.
Sleeping: in the Model 3, or in a tent?
You cannot lie flat in a Tesla Model 3: the back seat is too short and the trunk is sealed off from the cabin. Camp Mode still earns its keep from a tent: the cabin stays at temperature for a mid-night warm-up, and the car keeps your phone, lantern and fridge powered without idling.
- One person: recline the front passenger seat all the way back.
- One person, flatter: an inflatable back-seat mattress fills the rear footwell into a level bed; a 12V pump does it in a couple of minutes.
- Two people, or anyone over about six feet: a tent beside the car. It goes up in 5 to 10 minutes and the trunk still keeps the kit dry overnight.
Back-seat mattresses are sized to the car, not the kit, so they are not in the list above: see them on Amazon.
Common questions
Is the Tesla Model 3 good for car camping?
Yes. It is a compact car, so a compact car-camping kit fits without a roof box.
Can you sleep inside a Tesla Model 3?
Not flat. One person under about six feet can recline the front passenger seat or use an inflatable back-seat mattress (see the sleeping section above). For two, or to stretch out, a freestanding tent next to the car keeps the trunk as your dry-storage zone.
What gear should I pack?
The kit above. Change the group, budget or season and it rebuilds.