X

Elon Musk promises 'party and camper mode' for your next Tesla bender

Because you don't want your Tesla to die before the buzz wears off.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

If you've ever played one of those nighttime basketball games lit by a row of car headlights, you'll know that batteries don't last forever. But Elon Musk has an idea that might keep the party going longer than the keg will.

On Twitter today, Elon Musk promised that will add a "party and camper mode" to its , and . Per his tweet, the goal is to create a mode that lets you play music, power devices and keep the temperature pleasant for upwards of 48 hours. Two days straight? That's a lot of uppers, Elon. Better slow your roll.

As Musk notes, it's possible because many of Tesla's EV batteries permit 300-plus miles of use. But if you're not going far, you may as well put that juice to use without wasting a bunch of it on ancillary systems you won't be using. Hopefully, the mode allows for adjustments in case you don't really need the lights or the HVAC.

I hate to break it to Herr Musk, but already beat Tesla to the party-mode punch. For the last nine years, Toyota has equipped its SUVs with a "Party Mode" button. It's a little different, though, in that it cranks the audio system's bass and shifts the balance rearward so you can jam out while tailgating or camping. 

For those of you still living in Gas-Powered-Car Land, think of this new mode as an extended variant of every car's "accessory" mode, which allows for limited use of certain features without turning on the engine or powering the entire electrical system.

A quick drive (literally) in Tesla's Model 3 Performance

See all photos
Andrew Krok Reviews Editor / Cars
Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total 911 Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars.
Andrew Krok
Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total 911 Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars.

Article updated on July 31, 2018 at 12:35 PM PDT

Our Experts

Written by 
Andrew Krok
CNET staff -- not advertisers, partners or business interests -- determine how we review the products and services we cover. If you buy through our links, we may get paid. Reviews ethics statement
Andrew Krok Reviews Editor / Cars
Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total 911 Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars.
Why You Can Trust CNET
174175176177178179180+
Experts Interviewed
030405060708091011121314+
Companies Reviewed
108109110111112113+
Products Reviewed

We thoroughly evaluate each company and product we review and ensure our stories meet our high editorial standards.