What in the World Is Going On With Cybertruck’s $3,000 Tent Accessory?
There are some doubts if Tesla's Basecamp is worth it yet.
Surprise, surprise; Tesla has shipped out a product that has underdelivered on people’s expectations. No, it’s not the Cybertruck itself, but instead the Basecamp accessory for the all-electric pickup truck. The rooftop tent accessory has made it to some Cybertruck owners, but early testimonies are pointing out some initial flaws.
Criticisms are comparing the existing Basecamp to the original concept image that was shared back when the Cybertruck was revealed in 2019 while some are defending Tesla, saying that the concept image was just that — a rendering meant to show off an idea. It doesn’t help that customers have now gotten their own experience with the Basecamp and that Rivian just revealed its own rad-looking “treehouse” rooftop tent for its upcoming EVs which appears to be a mostly-finished design and even has a projector inside.
Tesla has been planning to do a tent accessory for the Cybertruck since its reveal in 2019.
Early Design Hiccups
Thanks to a Basecamp owner’s first impressions, we know that Tesla’s Cybertruck accessory takes about 10 minutes to both set up and stow away. There’s some fussiness when it comes to blindly removing the bolts of the Cybertruck’s Aeroflap and then stuffing the tent and frame back into the soft cover to stow away can prove difficult.
A more serious downside to the Basecamp is the lack of the “Tent Mode.” Even though it’s mentioned on the product page and user manual, there’s no sign of it being available on the Cybertruck software yet. We still don’t even know exactly what Tent Mode does, but we suspect that it has to do with auto-leveling the truck, powering the truck bed’s outlets, and potentially channeling the Cybertruck’s AC from its cabin into the tent.
The actual Basecamp, designed by Heimplanet, looks a lot different from the concept. But that’s not exactly a bad thing.
Basecamp Beta Testing
The Basecamp is still available on Tesla’s website for $2,975, which is comparable to some existing rooftop tent options out there. Unlike third-party alternatives, the Basecamp is compatible with Cybertruck’s Range Extender accessory.
Like the Cybertruck itself, we think it’s a better call to be patient and wait for Tesla and its early adopters to work out the Basecamp’s kinks. Down the line, it’s possible the tent attachment will be a lot more functional and worth its nearly $3,000 price, especially when Tent Mode comes out.
