Most Tesla owners have been asked, what if you run out of charge? Of course, everyone who drives with the T emblem on the hood knows it takes poor planning or pushing the limits to run out of energy in a Tesla.
Barring a catastrophic failure, the only reason a Tesla would lose its charge is if the driver ignored every warning, drove past every available charging station, and kept the pedal down until every drop was depleted from the battery. Nevertheless, the question remains, and some people are working on coming up with tangible solutions.
In September, a group called Charge Around Australia plans a long road trip without gas or spending a dime on electricity. The plan is to take a Model 3 9,380 miles (15,097 km) around the entire coastline of the Land Down Under to some of the most remote places on the planet. They will carry 18 lightweight, flexible printed plastic solar panels, which will be rolled up and stored in the trunk. They will roll out the panels for six hours daily to draw energy directly from the sun and charge up the Tesla.
These panels, produced using a wine label printer, pack a lot of power. In testing, the solar cells can produce approximately 20W/m2 in full sun conditions. However, production modules are projected to produce up to 50W/m2, with a 200 m2 installation producing around 60 kWh energy. That is enough to charge the Tesla for about two days of the trip or more than a week of typical commuting.
Professor Paul Dastoor, the Charge Around Australia lead, told Reuters he wants the creator of Tesla to find out about the project. “I hope if he finds out about it and Elon Musk will be very pleased, showing how our innovated technology is now combining with his developments to develop new solutions for the planet,” said Dastoor.
While certainly not as sleek as the printed solar panels, Daniel Derkacs posted a video (shown above) showing his mobile solar charging set up. His PV provides 1.2 kW of solar power. He installed six 175-watt panels on a bike rack on the back of his Model Y and two more panels on his roof. The system feeds to the trunk, where a battery and inverter are installed.
The comment section was not kind to Derkacs, who did a follow-up video addressing some negative feedback. He stressed that this system is for his daily commute and is not for long trips.
Derkacs' Response to Comments
These are two examples of people looking to get off the grid and power their Tesla directly from the sun and provide a different answer to the question, what will you do if you run out of power.
Tesla’s latest FSD update, version 2024.27.5 brings some improvements when parking your vehicle. This is another undocumented, but one we’re happy to see.
Most recently, the Cybertruck received the undocumented change for the Hands-Free Frunk opening (video below). The Cybertruck also recently received Vision Park Assist, which included steering wheel guides in the visualization showing the direction the front and rear wheels were turned. However, it turns out this isn’t just for the Cybertruck.
Update: We’ve updated this article to mention that this feature isn’t included in update 2024.32 yet.
Quick video on the auto frunk. It's literally 🧍♂️📐
Due to the Cybertruck’s unique rear-wheel steering and steer-by-wire design, Park Assist in the Cybertruck displayed the path of the front wheels, and how they would swing while reversing.
This enhancement is also coming to every Tesla vehicle in FSD 12.5.2 and later. It’s also expected to be available in a future update for non-FSD vehicles. However, it’s unclear whether it will be a later revision of update 2024.32 or the next major Tesla update. This is a neat little update, as it helps drivers better understand and predict the path their vehicle will take during a turn.
Brandon, going by @teslaflexx on X, originally spotted the new visuals recently on an AMD-based Model Y running 2024.27.5 and FSD V12.5.2.
Any vehicles who are on update 2024.27.5 or 2024.27.20 should have access to this new feature.
Looks like Cybertruck wasn’t the only vehicle to get the new guide visuals with park assist. Much better than the lines! pic.twitter.com/tF9ZsWCcWy
Tesla’s Cybertruck has been used as an awesome off-road vehicle so far, with some great videos from both Tesla themselves, as well as many owners who have been challenging difficult off-road obstacles.
One frequently requested feature, however, is additional armor for the Cybertruck to improve its off-road capabilities. Wes Morril, Program Manager for the Cybertruck, has confirmed that Tesla will be introducing Battery Armor and Rock Sliders as retrofit “options” by the end of 2024.
Battery Armor
The Cybertruck’s underbody plate, while not completely unarmoured, isn’t exactly super thick, and can leave the battery exposed if the weight of the truck is left on a high-center point or a sharp rock. This upcoming battery armor will be similar to the armored undersides offered by other companies specifically for off-roading.
Rivian, for example, sells armor as a single package for $3,950 USD, or $5,800 CAD, along with a 20” wheel upgrade, full-size spare, and a utility panel including an air compressor and enough hose to let you reach any of the tires when airing up or down your tires for off-road. Tesla’s upcoming Battery Armor will be a retrofit option, unlike Rivian’s – which can only be added when purchasing the vehicle.
Rock Sliders
The Cybertruck has a simple and clean bottom corner – but that also means that it exposes the plastic trim directly. Rock sliders go on the bottom edge of off-road vehicles between the wheels to protect the vehicle's body. Rock sliders are a pretty common modification, and some companies have already begun to offer them for the Cybertruck – but a first-party OEM option is always best.
This is especially true since most third-party options use the lift points of the vehicle to attach rock sliders, which can make replacing wheels or lifting the vehicle difficult without removing the third-party additions. This adds considerable time to what should be a quick job.
Release Date
We’re looking forward to Tesla bringing these options to the Tesla store in the coming months. Wes said they’d be available as retrofits before the end of 2024, along with the upcoming Winter Tire Package, which is arriving next month. The Winter Tire Package is already available to order for Cybertruck owners.
TeslaFi logs your drives and charging sessions, letting you keep a log of your vehice's activity. We highly recommend checking them out if you use your car for business trips and would like to keep track of reimbursements, if you like to see how much you spend on charging or if you just love statistics. Visit their site and see everything they have to offer!
Tesla Android Project enables you to run Android apps in your Tesla. The platform is Open Source and you can deploy it on your own Raspberry Pi 4. Consider supporting the initiative by donating or purchasing the Compute Module 4 Bundle that delivers the best experience. Get $20 off by using the code: NotATeslaApp
The official Tesla app only notifies you if your car is broken into. By installing Sentry Pro on your phone, you will be notified for all Sentry Mode events. Stay connected and avoid potential surprises by receiving notifications. Stop constantly checking the cameras to ensure safety. Check only when necessary, save battery and get peace of mind. Get a 7 day free trial here!
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Although we share official Tesla release notes, we are not affiliated with Tesla Motors. We are Tesla fans and supporters.
