Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through one of our links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Nico Murillo is a former Tesla Production Supervisor who has lived full-time in his car since being laid off in April 2024. He started in a 2021 Model Y and now lives in a Tesla Model X. In this trip he takes on one of the toughest tests of car living: a summer stay in Yosemite Valley with temperatures hitting 102 degrees.
It is a practical look at how an electric vehicle handles extreme heat as a home, and the routines that make a day in triple-digit weather manageable when your bedroom is a car.
Why an Electric Car Handles the Heat Better
Heat is one of the biggest dangers of living in a vehicle. A closed car in the sun gets hot fast, and running a gas engine all night just to power the air conditioning is loud, wasteful, and often not allowed. A Tesla gets around this. Its climate control runs straight from the main battery, and Camp Mode keeps the air conditioning on while parked with no engine and no exhaust. The battery can run that cooling for hours, so a parked EV can stay comfortable even when it is over 100 degrees outside.
A Portable Power Station for Everything Else
Nico keeps the car’s battery for driving and cooling, and runs his appliances from a Bluetti Elite 200 V2 portable power station tucked into the front footwell. That handles charging his devices and running small appliances without draining the range he needs to get out of the park. Splitting the loads this way is a smart habit for anyone living in an EV: the main battery stays for what only it can do, and the power station can be recharged whenever the car is plugged in.
Cooking Outside at the Tailgate
In this kind of heat, nobody wants to cook inside a small space. Nico cooks at the open rear hatch instead, with a camp stove set up in a plywood kitchen box and a wind screen around the burner. Breakfast is eggs and vegetables in a skillet, and the heat and smell stay outside. It is the same reason so many van builders put their kitchens at the back door.
Exploring Yosemite by E-Bike
Once he is parked in the valley, Nico gets around on a folding e-bike instead of moving the car. It saves range and ends the hunt for parking, and it lets him get to trailheads and viewpoints across the valley. The day includes a hike up the Mist Trail toward Vernal Fall and stops at some of the valley’s best views. The bike goes in the back of the Model X at night.
Bedtime in the Model X
When the sun goes down, the car turns back into a bedroom. The rear seats are out, a mattress runs the length of the cabin, and the e-bike is strapped down beside the bed. With the climate control holding a steady temperature all night, he sleeps comfortably in a place where a tent would still be radiating the day’s heat.
Video Tour: Living in a Tesla at Yosemite in 102 Degrees
⚡ Thinking about going electric?
If you’re considering a Tesla, you can use my referral link below to get rewards/credits when you order.
👉
Use my Tesla referral link here
(I may earn rewards at no extra cost to you — thanks for supporting Tiny House Talk!)
Tips for Living in a Car in Extreme Heat
- Use the car’s own climate control. In an EV, Camp Mode keeps the cabin cool all night without an engine.
- Keep a backup power source. A portable power station runs your devices and appliances without using up driving range.
- Cook outside. A tailgate kitchen keeps heat, steam, and smells out of your sleeping space.
- Park once, then explore another way. An e-bike or your feet save range and time spent looking for parking.
- Plan around the heat. Hike early or near water, and save the hottest part of the day for the shade or the air conditioning.
- Charge when you can. Top up at chargers near where you are staying so cooling is never a problem.
More From Nico
- Living Full-Time in a Tesla Model X: Inside the “World’s First Tesla Van”
- How Much Does It Cost to Live in a Tesla?
- How He Gets Free Power and Water Living in a Tesla
- Nico Murillo on YouTube and @travelwith.nico on Instagram
Highlights
- Full-time car living in a Tesla Model X since a 2024 layoff from Tesla
- A summer stay in Yosemite Valley with temperatures up to 102 degrees
- Camp Mode air conditioning running from the car’s main battery
- Bluetti portable power station for devices and appliances
- Tailgate kitchen for cooking outside
- Folding e-bike for getting around the valley
Related Stories
- From Layoff to Nomad: How He Turned his Tesla into a Stealth Camp Home on Wheels
- He Ditched Rent 5 Years Ago and Saved $100K Living in a Car
- Blake’s Kia Niro EV Stealth Camper Car
- Camping Platform for Tesla Model Y, S, or X
You can share this using the e-mail and social media re-share buttons below. Thanks!
If you enjoyed this you’ll LOVE our Free Daily Tiny House Newsletter with even more!
You can also join our Small House Newsletter!
Also, try our Tiny Houses For Sale Newsletter! Thank you!
More Like This: Car Camping | Vehicles | Video Tours
See The Latest: Go Back Home to See Our Latest Tiny Houses
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through one of our links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Alex
Latest posts by Alex (see all)
- Pam and Jeff’s Debt-Free Retirement in a No-Loft Park Model at The Oaks on 37 - October 17, 2026
- A Family of Seven in a 660 Sq Ft Self-Designed Tiny Farmhouse - October 17, 2026
- An In-Stock Starlink-Ready Scamp 13 Deluxe Layout A - October 16, 2026
