Can You Charge Your Electric Car at an RV Park Campground?

Buying a Tesla or any other electric car means you can drive right past those gas stations on your way to a weekend camping adventure. You’ll likely turn some heads as you drive through the campground, but you will need to charge your car after setting up camp. 

Many modern campsites come with electrical hookups, so does this mean you can charge your Tesla while camping? Let’s find out. 

Can You Charge a Tesla at a Campground?

A Tesla Supercharging Station isn’t the only place you can charge a Tesla. The power pedestal at your campsite is likely capable of charging your electric car, too. You may need an adapter or two, but it’s possible. 

However, the campground may not be all that thrilled with you doing so. It’s best to check the campground policies or ask the staff before plugging in your car to charge.

Electric cars have the potential to draw much more from the pedestal than most RV’s do. Because of this if there are multiple cars charging on a campground’s electric system it can cause an overload and blow a fuse or damage the electrical wiring. Most campgrounds are built to only handle a portion of the electrical capacity that is actually installed. Because of this you might need to limit the amperage your car is drawing.

Can You Go Camping With an Electric Car? 

An electric vehicle can be a good option for camping. Appreciating nature means taking care of it. This means leaving as little impact as possible on the environment. And driving an electric car is a great way to have a minimal impact.

While many electric vehicles can’t handle off-roading, you should have plenty of room for the bare necessities of tent camping. You can even use the unused engine space to store more camping gear. 

Plus, if you’re a Tesla owner, you can actually camp inside your car. All Teslas include “Camp Mode,” which provides airflow and maintains the interior temperature of the vehicle while you sleep.

Best of all, if your campground allows it, you can plug your car into the power pedestal at your campsite to charge your electric vehicle. No need to scout out other charging stations on your trip! 

What Equipment Do You Need to Charge an Electric Car at a Campground?

To charge your electric car while camping, you’ll need a few things, like a charging cable. Tesla now includes a Mobile Connector with each purchase. It also comes with the NEMA-15 adapter, which makes it possible to plug in to standard 120V outlets. 

So, in addition to the charging cable, you’ll need the proper attachment for the charging port. Tesla and other electric car manufacturers sell various adapters for this purpose. You’ll want multiple adapters so you can charge no matter the campground’s connection.

Tesla also has the NEMA 5-20 adapter for 125V outlets and six other 240V adapters if you want Level 2 charging (faster charging).   

Pro Tip: Need to charge your RV while on the road? We uncovered Can You Charge Your RV at Tesla Charging Stations?

Other Ways to Charge Your Tesla While Camping

You must plan where you’ll charge your car before setting out on your camping adventure. Fortunately, if you enter your destination into Tesla’s navigation system, it will show you all the Tesla Superchargers along your route. Be sure to pay attention to the car’s guidance as you don’t want to miss a charging station when your battery is running low and risk running out of power.

If you’re already at the campground and need to charge your vehicle, check for a Tesla Supercharging Station or EV charging station nearby. There’s still hope, however, if you can’t charge at the campground and a charging station is too far away. If you’re in dire need, many establishments have a 110-volt outlet somewhere outside. You could try to sweet-talk a local business into letting you plug into an outdoor power outlet. They might not let you do this for free, and you should definitely patronize their business as a thank you. And never try this without getting the owner’s permission first! 

Keep in mind that these outlets take an incredibly long time to charge an EV, typically no more than three or four miles per hour. So don’t expect to go anywhere anytime soon. But, it does beat getting stranded somewhere and calling a tow truck.

Carrying a portable charging station with you is another excellent option. It’s much better than mooch-charging off a business, but it does take a little forethought. Research the best portable charging options to help prevent a sticky situation on the road. 

Should You Charge Your Tesla at Campgrounds?

In reality, charging a Tesla likely uses less power than many RVs plugged into shore power. Many larger RVs come with multiple air conditioning units, using thousands of watts of power. A single unit can use 3,500W just for startup. A rig with multiple units running air conditioning several hours a day will pull tens of thousands of watts of power. 

On the other hand, a standard Tesla Model 3 will usually draw about 7,200W. So if you’re planning a tent camping trip at an RV campsite, there’s no logical reason not to charge your Tesla at a campground. 

However, you should follow their rules and restrictions if the campground specifically prohibits EV charging at campsites.

Pro Tip: Want to find some free camping spots for your next Tesla camping adventure? Make sure to use these Best Boondocking Apps and Websites for Amazing Free Camping.

What Does the Future of Electric Vehicle Camping Hold?

While it’s common to see large diesel or gas-powered trucks pulling campers through the campground, that’s likely to change in the future. 

More and more car manufacturers are creating not just electric vehicles but also electric trucks. As demand for EVs grows and technology advances, we expect to see more electric vehicles in campgrounds for tent campers and even eventually RVers. 

This means that our electrical infrastructure will most likely need to improve as well and hopefully fueling up as your roasting marshmallows will be commonplace.

Would you consider an EV for your next vehicle? Drop a comment below!

Read More From The Mortons:

• Can You Charge Your RV at Tesla Charging Stations?
• Solar Phase 2: The Tesla Battery
• RV Resources
• How Are RVs Wired? Helpful RV Electrical Basics for Beginners
• Solar Phase 3 – The Inverter

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