Tesla's current lineup of cars is packed with awesome features, from steering yokes to 1,000+ horsepower tri-motor super EVs.The same philosophy extends to its climate control features as well. Teslas boast super cool climate control features like dog mode that help keep your pooch safe, as well as sophisticated climate control vents that are completely hidden.
1. Camp Mode
Camp Mode is one of the most useful features in any modern car. It highlights just how awesome electric vehicles are. Leaving an internal combustion vehicle on overnight while you camp is not only impractical, it's also dangerous.
An ICE vehicle emits toxic gases when the engine is running, and exposure to these gases, especially in an area that isn't properly ventilated, can have catastrophic consequences.
Electric vehicles don't have this problem. You can leave an EV on overnight while you camp, and there's absolutely no problem. All the power comes from the battery, not a messy engine that pollutes while running.
Tesla took advantage of this huge EV advantage and created Camp Mode for its vehicles. So if you buy a small mattress and plan on camping in your Model Y, you can activate Camp Mode to keep the climate control on overnight.
This will ensure that you're protected from the elements and supremely comfortable. You can also listen to music and even charge your cellphone via the USB ports.
Camp Mode is ideal because it won't bother other campers that might be next to your Tesla. The same cannot be said about camping in an ICE car.
2. Dog Mode
Dog mode is another great idea from Tesla. Well, it was proposed to Elon Musk by a Twitter user, but Tesla listened and made it happen.
It's crazy that we live in a world where you can tweet at the owner of an enormous car company and brainstorm a new feature for its road cars.
After this brilliant suggestion, Tesla vehicles are now equipped with the famous Dog Mode, which allows you to set a comfortable cabin environment for your four-legged best friend. In addition, you can monitor the vehicle's temperature from the app and an in-car camera feed from your phone to make sure your dog is doing great.
This climate control setting truly sets Tesla apart from most other car manufacturers, showing that it actually listens to its customer base.
It's worth noting that you should always check up on the cabin temperature through your phone, even if Dog Mode is engaged because it's the safety of your dog that's at play. Nevertheless, dog Mode is a feature that might eventually become the standard across the industry.
3. Hidden Air Vents
The Tesla Model 3 features hidden air vents that can be controlled from Tesla's all-powerful central touchscreen. This is probably one of the coolest Tesla interior features ever.
The minimalist vents may seem simple, but in reality, the engineering they employ to eliminate the need for traditional vent controls is awesome.
The air vents feature a main flow of air and then a second one that adjusts the direction of the air depending on user input. Clearly, the system is much more complicated than it appears, and the funny thing is that the added complication is all in the name of simplicity.
It's undeniable that the entire central dashboard area looks clean, and the tidy look that Tesla is known for wouldn't look as great with huge protruding vents breaking up the cohesiveness of the interior.
The user interface Tesla designed to control the air flow from the HVAC system is also genius. The touchscreen shows an animation that mimics the air flowing in real-time, and the user can adjust it by moving the animated air stream around.
It's ingenious, and it probably won't take long for other carmakers to copy this awesome way to interact with climate control.
4. Rear Touchscreen for Climate Controls
The Tesla Model X and the Model S get a convenient touchscreen for the rear passengers. The screen is where you usually find traditional air vents on most luxury vehicles.
The touchscreen isn't only used to operate the rear HVAC controls; you can even play games on it. The rear passengers also get the awesome climate control UI that the front passengers enjoy, with the ability to control the flow of air and the direction via the touchscreen.
Rear passengers can also control the heated seat function, a great Tesla feature for winter driving. Features like this help make a vehicle a better place to be for the rear passengers, and it also aids in keeping the driver's attention on the road.
The less time the driver has to worry about changing climate controls to appease the front drivers (because they can do it themselves), the safer their overall driving will be.
5. Cabin Overheat Protection
Tesla offers a useful climate control feature for people who leave their cars parked in the sun for a considerable amount of time. If you activate the vehicle's Cabin Overheat Protection feature, your Tesla will take certain measures to ensure the cabin doesn't overheat.
You can even set the temperature at which you want the A/C to kick in. Cabin Overheat Protection can keep working for 12 hours after you've left the vehicle. It's important to keep in mind that this feature will not work if the battery is below 20% charge.
The feature allows the driver to turn on an alternate version of Cabin Overheat Protection which doesn't operate with the A/C, only using the fan.
This fan-only mode won't be as effective as using the A/C to keep the cabin from warming up excessively. Nevertheless, this is a great feature for people that work in an office and have to park their vehicles in the scorching sun all day long or simply want to protect their interior from reaching scalding temperatures while they go shopping in the summer.
Tesla Has the Coolest Climate Control System, Hands Down
Tesla has created a climate control system that goes beyond the standard functionality of keeping the cabin cool or warm. Instead, the company has listened to individual concerns from customers and updated the HVAC system accordingly. It has also integrated awesome features that are meant to keep occupants comfortable and safe, even if they aren't human. There's even a Camp Mode for whatever adventure life throws your way.