Photo: bwilliam79 via Cybertruck Owners Club
Electric vehicles are ideal for camping because they offer complete comfort without running the engine. This made people think the Tesla Cybertruck would be the ultimate camping vehicle. However, the truck's bed is not connected to the cabin, and the vault is not climatized. This leaves owners with a less-than-ideal setup, although there are solutions to improve the Cybertruck's habitability.
Before the Cybertruck was unveiled last November, many believed Tesla's pickup truck would offer a climatized vault, making it the ultimate camping rig. However, when the first units started deliveries, people learned that the bed was completely separated from the cabin, and there was no HVAC system for it. This made the Cybertruck a lot less useful for camping, despite Tesla stating otherwise.
Nevertheless, the EV maker is selling a dedicated tent for the Cybertruck, although it's not cheap. The Basecamp tent costs $2,975 and can be installed in the bed. Its most important advantage is that it can be installed and removed quickly, leaving enough space for storage underneath it. It also doesn't prevent the bed cover from closing when it's not in use, making it easy to secure and protect.
However, those who bought the Basecamp Tent discovered that camping in the bed of the Cybertruck was not the smooth experience they had hoped for. Since the vault is not heated or cooled, you must buy a separate heater or portable air conditioning unit. Despite some people claiming otherwise, the Basecamp tent has a zipper at the bottom of the driver-side pocket that aligns with the power outlets in the bed. You can use it to plug in a power strip, solving the electricity problem inside the tent.
Although there's no pass-through to get air from the Cybertruck's cabin to the tent, there are several ways you can cool or heat the tent. Aside from the separate devices described above, there are both DIY and off-the-shelf solutions to climatize the tent. Brandon, one of the early Cybertruck owners, has designed a solution that other owners can implement if they want to camp in the Basecamp tent, or any tent for that matter.
Brandon confirmed he is working with Campstream to bring this solution to the market. If you're not familiar with it, Campstream specializes in offering HVAC solutions for electric vehicles from Tesla and Rivian. They use a hose to direct the airflow from one of the air vents inside the cabin to the tent. This involves a pass-through window replacement so that the hose can be routed to the tent in the bed without keeping the windows open.
If you have the materials and 3D-print the air vent adapter, you can replicate this setup fairly easily. If you prefer to wait until a commercial solution is available, Campstream will probably offer one soon. Existing solutions for other EV models retail for $499. The one for Cybertruck should have a similar price when it becomes available.
Nevertheless, the EV maker is selling a dedicated tent for the Cybertruck, although it's not cheap. The Basecamp tent costs $2,975 and can be installed in the bed. Its most important advantage is that it can be installed and removed quickly, leaving enough space for storage underneath it. It also doesn't prevent the bed cover from closing when it's not in use, making it easy to secure and protect.
However, those who bought the Basecamp Tent discovered that camping in the bed of the Cybertruck was not the smooth experience they had hoped for. Since the vault is not heated or cooled, you must buy a separate heater or portable air conditioning unit. Despite some people claiming otherwise, the Basecamp tent has a zipper at the bottom of the driver-side pocket that aligns with the power outlets in the bed. You can use it to plug in a power strip, solving the electricity problem inside the tent.
Although there's no pass-through to get air from the Cybertruck's cabin to the tent, there are several ways you can cool or heat the tent. Aside from the separate devices described above, there are both DIY and off-the-shelf solutions to climatize the tent. Brandon, one of the early Cybertruck owners, has designed a solution that other owners can implement if they want to camp in the Basecamp tent, or any tent for that matter.
Brandon confirmed he is working with Campstream to bring this solution to the market. If you're not familiar with it, Campstream specializes in offering HVAC solutions for electric vehicles from Tesla and Rivian. They use a hose to direct the airflow from one of the air vents inside the cabin to the tent. This involves a pass-through window replacement so that the hose can be routed to the tent in the bed without keeping the windows open.
If you have the materials and 3D-print the air vent adapter, you can replicate this setup fairly easily. If you prefer to wait until a commercial solution is available, Campstream will probably offer one soon. Existing solutions for other EV models retail for $499. The one for Cybertruck should have a similar price when it becomes available.
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