Taking your Tesla to a remote cabin in the woods [Video]

Thinking about Tesla, you probably associate Elon's electric cars with a hi-tech future dominated by modern city skylines. However, Kim from the 'Like Tesla' YouTube channel demonstrates that you can easily take a Tesla on a road trip outside the confines of your city or suburban enclave — all the way to that remote cabin in the woods. You just need to pack the right stuff and take advantage of a few cool new capabilities courtesy of Tesla's most recent software update.  

Above: Kim arrives at a quaint cabin in the woods but has to figure out charging her Tesla Model X (Image: Like Tesla)

Before delving into the best gear to pack for your next all-electric adventure, it's worth discussing some new Tesla UI features that can make your next road trip a lot of fun. In Tesla's v10 software update, it's now easier than ever to go on a spontaneous adventure thanks to the “Hungry” and “Lucky” features recently added. While Smart Summon, Netflix, and Spotify additions got the most buzz, the “Hungry” and “Lucky” features can really provide some surprises and fun on your next Tesla adventure.

For those that aren't aware, the “Hungry” feature will route your Tesla to a recommended (albeit random) place to eat — likely one that you've never been to or heard of before. The “Lucky” feature will route you to a random place of interest in lieu of the usual tourist traps. These "Lucky" locales may also be places you didn't even know existed. These two features are fun for those that want to “go with the flow” and add some spontaneity to their trip. 

Above: Kim talks about her latest Tesla adventure on a road trip out to a cabin in the woods with her family (YouTube: Like Tesla)

So what's the best gear to pack — especially if you're going deep into the woods? The most important accessory to have is charging adapters and a heavy duty extension cord as Kim quickly realized when she arrived at the cabin. The charging cable, of course, is the lifeline to your electric car and it's critically important to be able to adapt to any sort of exotic outlet you find along the course of your trip. In addition, an extension cord helps with those hard-to-reach plugs tucked away from easy access (e.g. hidden home dryer outlets or remote RV park outlets).

Nowadays, this is definitely helpful but shouldn’t be considered a necessity. Given the range of most Tesla vehicles (often approaching 300 miles or so) along with the company's rapidly expanding Supercharger network, chances are that you'll find some restaurant or rest stop that will allow you to easily charge. Nevertheless, having these extras may come in handy if you're traveling to remote locations (like Kim's cabin in the woods) that remain somewhat off the grid.

Above: Kim keeps food and beverages cold in her Frunk Cooler (Image: Like Tesla)

Kim also shows off another cool product (no pun intended) that can help keep your food fresh and beverages cold for long stints on the road. The solution: a handy cooler that's able to fit neatly into Tesla's frunk. It has an interior volume of about 1,664 cubic inches, which is enough room for 36 standard 12 oz. cans along with room for some ice packs. It also comes with an outer compartment with room for all the utensils and food prep gear you might need.

And although you don't "pack" this item, Kim also mentions the need for all-weather floor mats. Your standard carpeted floor mats are no match for the mud, so it might be best to opt for a tough, durable, all-rubber set of mats to protect your Tesla. There are plenty of options out there (e.g. these all-weather mats) but whichever style you choose, your interior will thank you. Kim's also previously provided some helpful tips for protecting a Tesla's exterior as well.

Above: Kim experiments with the new "Hungry" and "Lucky" features introduced in Tesla's v10 software update (Image: Like Tesla)

So as Kim demonstrates, don't stay trapped within the city limits (or suburbia) if you own a Tesla. Instead, you should hit the road and have an exciting adventure — just remember to equip your Tesla with some road trip extras to make travel a little bit easier. And for that added element of surprise, be sure to check out Tesla's new "Hungry" and "Lucky" features introduced in the v10 software update.

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An earlier version of this article appeared on EVBite. EVBite is an electric vehicle specific news site dedicated to keeping consumers up-to-date on any developments in the ever-expanding EV landscape.