A tent adds room, but the car bed is usually the main bed
There are four types: a hatch tent over the open liftgate, a rooftop tent on a roof rack, an awning for shade and rain, and the Cybertruck CyberTent in the bed. On Model Y and Model 3, Tesla allows only Tesla-approved roof racks. A tent is colder than the cabin with Camp Mode on.
The usual Tesla camping setup is a mattress over the folded rear seats. A tent gives you more room, but you lose the climate control of the cabin. For a tent that we do not name, check the maker's fit list against your car.
Four types of Tesla tent
| Tent type | How it attaches | Best for | Main limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hatch or tailgate tent | A fabric sleeve goes over the open liftgate. The tent stands on the ground behind the car. | More floor space next to a car bed. Room for a dog, wet gear or a third person. | The liftgate stays open all night. You must take the tent down before you drive. |
| Rooftop tent | Bolts to crossbars on a roof rack. On Model Y and Model 3, Tesla allows only Tesla-approved racks. | Sleeping off the ground. The car floor stays free for gear. | The weight of the rack, the tent and the load must stay inside the rack rating and the car limits. |
| Awning | Fixes to the roof rack or the car side, or stands on its own poles. | Shade and rain cover for cooking and sitting. | It has no floor or walls. |
| Cybertruck bed tent | Tesla sells the CyberTent. It mounts in the bed, under the tonneau cover, on L-Tracks. | Cybertruck owners who want a tent on the truck with no poles to set up. | It fits only some Cybertruck versions, and it costs $2,750 at the 1 October 2026 check. |
Hatch and tailgate tents
A hatch tent is a ground tent with a tunnel or sleeve on one side. You open the liftgate and pull the sleeve over it. The car floor and the tent floor then make one space. You sleep on a mattress in the car, and the tent adds a room behind it.
Rooftop tents
A rooftop tent sits on crossbars. The tent folds out on top of the car, and you climb in with a ladder. On Model Y and Model 3, Tesla's manuals say to use only Tesla-approved roof racks with a Tesla mounting accessory. The Tesla Model Y Roof Rack costs $500 at the 1 October 2026 check. Tesla gives it a load rating of 165 lb (about 75 kg). The rack and everything on it must stay inside that rating.
Awnings
An awning is a cover for shade and rain. An awning has no floor, so it does not replace a tent or the car bed.
Cybertruck bed tent
Tesla sells the Cybertruck CyberTent. Tesla describes an inflatable frame with no poles, a manual pump, a mattress and a weather-resistant outer shell with an awning. Tesla Shop listed no tent for Model Y on 1 October 2026.
Every tent type on this page still needs a sleep surface. For a hatch tent, the mattress stays in the car. Compare fitted options in the best Tesla camping mattresses guide.
How each tent type attaches to a Tesla
| Model | Hatch or tailgate tent | Roof rack and rooftop tent | From the Tesla source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model Y (2025+ manual) | Liftgate opens up to about 2.3 m, depending on configuration | Tesla-approved racks only, with a Tesla mounting accessory | Use only a Tesla-approved rack |
| Model Y L | Check the tent maker's list for the Model Y L by name | The Tesla Model Y Roof Rack does not fit the Model Y L | Product note: "excluding Model Y L" |
| Model 3 | Model 3 has a trunk lid, not a liftgate. Check that the tent maker lists Model 3. | Tesla-approved racks only, with a Tesla mounting accessory | Same roof rack text as the Model Y manual |
| Model X | Liftgate opens up to about 2.5 m, depending on configuration | The Model X manual we read has no roof rack section | Do not rely on the liftgate to sense an obstruction |
| Cybertruck | The bed and tailgate replace the liftgate | Tesla sells Cybertruck Crossbars. We did not read their load rating. | CyberTent: Cyberbeast and Premium All-Wheel Drive only |
Hatch tents and the power liftgate
A hatch tent holds on to the open liftgate. The Tesla liftgate is powered, so read these points in the manual first:
- You can set the liftgate opening height and save it. Set the height before you fit the sleeve. Then the sleeve fits the same way each night.
- Tesla warns that accessories which add weight to the liftgate can make it close on its own. Tesla does not cover damage from such accessories under the warranty. Do not hang lights, bags or wet clothes from the liftgate.
- Pull the sleeve off before you close the liftgate. The fit checklist below explains how the obstruction sensing differs between models.
The Model Y has a low-voltage power outlet on the left side of the rear trunk. The outlet is inside the sleeve area, so a lamp or a phone can charge there.
Rooftop tents and the roof rack
The Tesla Model Y Roof Rack does not clamp to rails. Its manual says to fit clips at arrows on the glass roof. Each clip must engage in the metal receiver under the glass. The Model Y and Model 3 manuals say a rack that is not approved can cause significant damage.
Tesla's product page says the crossbars take ski racks, bike racks and cargo boxes. The page does not name rooftop tents. The roof rack manual gives the rule for the load: the maximum roof load is the weight of the rack plus the accessory racks plus the load. We found no Tesla figure for a parked roof with people inside a tent. Before you buy a rooftop tent, ask the tent maker and Tesla for the load that applies to your car.
Cybertruck CyberTent
The CyberTent pack mounts above the truck bed and below the tonneau cover. Tesla says it fits Cyberbeast and Premium All-Wheel Drive vehicles only. The CyberTent needs Cybertruck L-Tracks, which Tesla sells separately. It does not work with the Cybertruck MOLLE Panels, and you cannot put it up with the Bed Cargo Divider installed. Tesla includes the installation at a Tesla Service Center. The box includes the tent, the awning with poles, an air pump, L-Track brackets, stakes and a repair kit.
The product page tells you to use Tent Mode on the touchscreen. We found no Tent Mode section in the current Cybertruck owner's manual.
Weather: wind, rain, condensation and cold
A tent has fabric walls and no climate control. The Tesla cabin is closed and has its own climate control.
- Cold
- A tent is colder than a closed cabin with Camp Mode on. Camp Mode keeps the cabin at the temperature you set, and it runs on the high-voltage battery. Tesla says the climate system works most efficiently with all windows closed. An open liftgate into a tent is a large opening, so expect more battery use. We found no Tesla figure for this case. For winter nights, read can you camp in a Tesla in winter.
- Wind
- A hatch tent pulls on the open liftgate in wind. Stake every corner and every guy line. Take the sleeve off if the wind gets strong. A rooftop tent stays on the car while you drive. The Tesla roof rack manual says roof loads change handling, braking and sensitivity to side winds. The manual recommends a maximum speed of 130 km/h with a load, and it does not recommend off-road driving.
- Rain
- Check that the sleeve seals around the top and sides of the liftgate. Water that runs down the liftgate can drip onto the mattress. An awning or the CyberTent awning gives a dry area at the entry.
- Condensation
- Breath adds moisture to the air in a tent and in a car. Moisture condenses on cold fabric and cold glass. The CyberTent has screen windows for airflow. For the car side, follow how to prevent condensation in a Tesla.
Camp Mode turns off Sentry Mode and the alarm. Walk-Away Door Lock does not operate. With a hatch tent, the liftgate stays open, so the car is not closed. Keep keys, phones and wallets with you in the sleeping area.
When to use a tent, and when to sleep inside
For one or two adults, the car bed is often enough. A tent helps when the car floor is too small for the group or the gear.
A tent helps when
- You have more people than the car floor can hold. A hatch tent adds a second sleeping area.
- You travel with a dog. The dog can sleep in the tent area. Read Tesla camping with dogs first.
- You carry wet or dirty gear. Bikes, boots and wet jackets can stay in the tent and out of the cabin.
Sleeping inside wins when
- The night is cold or hot. Camp Mode controls the cabin temperature. A tent has no climate control.
- You want the car closed. You can lock the doors in Camp Mode. With a hatch tent, the liftgate stays open.
- You move every night. A car bed needs no stakes, and you can drive away at once.
- The site rules allow vehicles but not tents. Rules for tents and for sleeping in a car can be different. Read is camping in a Tesla legal before you go.
The site's operator owns these two mattresses for the car bed.
Snuuzu · Foam + air
Snuuzu Model Y
Our rating 97
Our pick Why our pick
Evidence: Owner experience on video and secondary research. The operator bought one in 2025 and published a one-year video review on 11 May 2026.
- Size
- 205 × 130 cm
- Depth
- 20 cm
- Weight
- 10.6 kg
- Pump
- Removable rechargeable USB-C pump (two in the current EU box, one in the US box list)
- Fits
- Every Model Y, incl. 2025 Juniper
- Pillows
- Two-pillow bundle sold
$899 / €899
Checked 16 Sep 2026
EU store pre-order, ships in November: €849 (29 Sep)
AWDCAMPER10% off · cart-tested on this product, 16 Sep 2026
Affiliate links: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Havnby · Air-foam hybrid
Havnby FlatCore Foam Mattress
Our rating 83
Evidence: Owner experience on video (operator comparison video of 15 July 2026) plus official Havnby material checked 19 August and re-checked 16 and 29 September 2026.
- Size
- 193 × 132 cm
- Depth
- 19 cm max, 7.9 cm min
- Weight
- 5.1 kg
- Pump
- Built-in 12V ABS pump
- Fits
- Model Y, separate year-range options
$549
Checked 29 Sep 2026
AWD10% off · cart-tested on this product, 16 Sep 2026
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Fit checklist before you buy a Tesla tent
Use this list with the tent maker's fit list and your owner's manual.
- Check the model, body and year.Tesla publishes separate Model Y manuals for 2025+ (Juniper) and 2020–2024. A tent sold for one version may not list the other. The Tesla Model Y Roof Rack does not fit the Model Y L.
- Check the liftgate height against the sleeve.The 2025+ Model Y liftgate opens up to about 2.3 m and the Model X liftgate up to about 2.5 m, depending on configuration. The liftgate may not open fully on an incline or in cold weather. Compare the sleeve size in the tent maker's instructions with the height you save.
- Keep weight off the liftgate.Tesla warns that added weight can make the liftgate close on its own.
- Learn how your liftgate reacts to an obstruction.On Model Y, the liftgate stops and chimes two times if it senses an obstruction when it closes. The Model X manual says not to rely on the obstruction sensing. Remove the sleeve by hand before you close the liftgate.
- Keep your phone key out of the trunk.The Model Y manual says a phone left inside the trunk may open it, because of Hands-Free Trunk. You can turn that feature off under Controls > Locks.
- For a rooftop tent, check the rack and the load.On Model Y and Model 3, use only a Tesla-approved rack with the Tesla mounting accessory. Add the weight of the rack, the tent and the load, and compare it with the rack rating. Then find the occupant and cargo limit on the placard on the driver door pillar.
- Check the ground and the stakes.Check the ground clearance and stake points in the tent maker's instructions. A sleeve needs the tent floor to meet the car floor, so park on level ground.
- For Cybertruck, check the version and the parts.The CyberTent fits Cyberbeast and Premium All-Wheel Drive only, and it needs L-Tracks. Tesla Shop listed the L-Tracks as out of stock on 1 October 2026.
The Tesla mattress finder asks for your model and your sleep style.
What else to pack
The Tesla camping gear guide covers the rest of the setup. For privacy and light in the cabin, read the Tesla camping window shades guide. Make sure no shade blocks a door handle or the exit.
The Tesla camping packing list makes a checklist for your trip. Add the tent, stakes, guy lines and a mallet if you take a tent.
Sources
We read each source below on 1 October 2026.
- Tesla, Model Y Owner's Manual (2025+), "Rear Trunk"
- Tesla, Model Y Owner's Manual (2025+), "Vehicle Loading"
- Tesla, Model 3 Owner's Manual, "Vehicle Loading"
- Tesla, Model X Owner's Manual, "Rear Trunk"
- Tesla Shop, "Model Y Roof Rack"
- Tesla, Model Y Roof Rack Manual (PDF)
- Tesla Shop, "Cybertruck CyberTent"
- Camp Mode facts: our Tesla Camp Mode guide, from Tesla manuals read on 30 September 2026
Tesla tent questions
Do Tesla hatch tents fit the Model Y Juniper?
Only if the tent maker says so for the 2025+ Model Y. Tesla publishes a separate manual for the 2025+ Model Y, and its liftgate opens up to about 2.3 m, depending on configuration. Compare that height with the sleeve size in the tent maker's fit list. The liftgate may not open fully on an incline or in cold weather.
Can a Model Y carry a rooftop tent?
Tesla allows only Tesla-approved roof racks on Model Y, with a Tesla mounting accessory. The Tesla Model Y Roof Rack has a load rating of 165 lb and does not fit the Model Y L. Tesla names ski racks, bike racks and cargo boxes for it, not tents. The rack, the tent and the load together must stay inside the rating. Ask the tent maker and Tesla before you buy.
Can I use Camp Mode with a hatch tent?
The events that stop Camp Mode in Tesla's manuals do not include an open liftgate. An open liftgate is a large opening, so expect more battery use. Camp Mode also turns off Sentry Mode and the alarm. Test it for one hour while you are awake before you rely on it.
Is a tent better than sleeping in the car?
For one or two adults, the car is often better. Camp Mode controls the temperature, and you can lock the doors. A tent is better when you need room for more people, a dog or wet gear. You can use both: a mattress in the car and a hatch tent for space.