Elon Musk digs the idea of a Tesla HVAC system for the home
Such a concept could control the humidity, include a HEPA filter and communicate with a Tesla car.
First the solar roof, next a Tesla HVAC system?
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is a busy guy as he works to donate ventilators to California-area hospitals and distribute a supply of N95 masks. But, Musk is undoubtedly a dreamer, and he shared his thoughts on a nifty smart HVAC system.
The Tesla and SpaceX boss previously voiced support for some sort of smart HVAC system for the home in the past, but in a handful of tweets Musk sent on Monday, he sounded more serious than ever. The conversation stemmed from work on the Tesla Model Y's new heat pump to keep owners toastier than ever without sacrificing driving range, but the CEO said he'd "love to do home HVAC that's quiet and efficient with humidity control and HEPA filter."
Sure would love to do home hvac that’s quiet & efficient, with humidity control & HEPA filter
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 24, 2020
A HEPA filter works to keep nearly every element out of the air as possible, and would be a game changer for those who suffer from severe allergies. HEPA air purifiers have also become a more common household appliance. What Musk talks about is installing this kind of technology for a home's entire HVAC system to keep the air incredibly pure.
It wouldn't be a Tesla kind of dream without some connectivity, though. Musk said he imagines the HVAC system could communicate with a car to know when a homeowner's coming home. Then the system could adjust the humidity and temperature as needed to make things just right upon the owner's arrival. While numerous smart thermostats already work with smartphones to hold temperatures at a set level when gone, humidity and particle control is a pretty big step.
Maybe Musk and his team have big plans for after the world gets control over the coronavirus pandemic, but right now, it's hard to imagine Tesla working on anything like this. The automaker shut down its plant in Fremont, California, this Monday to obey a shelter-in-place order locally and much of the US auto industry has ground to a halt. But, dreamers are going to keep dreaming.
First published March 24.