Model 3 as a music studio (and no home charging)

[tomfisher]

Dear Tesla owners/enthusiasts

• I am interested in switching to a pure electric car.
• I work as a professional music producer for TV and ads.
• I live in London in a block of flats and park on the street with no access to driveway/garage/home charging.
  
• I often test my music mixes and make adjustments on my MacBook Pro in my car (Audi A3 petrol with Bose sound system upgrade). This can be 2-3 hours in one session before I take a break. Powering the MacBook Pro in the Audi is not a problem as I usually have enough battery to last a few hours, but I do need to leave the engine running on idle on the whole time, e.g. sitting in a supermarket/shopping centre car park to power the sound system but also for air conditioning/heating. This whole setup is not ideal because (1) exhaust fumes/environment (2) engine noise (3) not good for engine (4) costly petrol
• I’d like to ask you all if switching to a fully electric car (Tesla Model 3, or other electric car manufacturer) could be a viable solution, bearing in mind I’m also unable to charge at home. Specifically my questions would be:

1. Can you sit in a Tesla in park/idle mode and run the sound system for several hours without the car shutting down?
2. If so, how many hours do you think?
3. Can you do the same as above and have heating/AC on as well?
4. If so, how many hours do you think?
5. Could I do the above and charge the MacBook Pro as well, perhaps using an inverter?
6. It is realistic/feasible to own a Tesla (or any pure electric for that matter) and only use public charging points?
7. Does Tesla Model 3 have a 3.5mm aux-in?
8. Should I instead consider a different EV, or even a PHEV or hybrid for my needs?

So the most extreme situation would be:

• Tesla/EV in park/idle
• A/C or heating on
• Sound system on
• MacBook Pro charging
• For about 3+ hours

Is this possible?
Thanks!

 

[brkaus]

Use camp mode and the car will stay on forever, at least it will work until the car is down to 20% (a very long time). I frequently sit for 2 hours waiting on the kids. If I don't use camp mode, I have to touch the brake every 30 minutes.

No major impact on the battery charge level for me.

No 3.5mm aux-in.

 

[sduck]

Keep in mind that you'll need to be connecting via bluetooth. Otherwise you should be fine.

 

[holmgang]

Ballparking:

Car computer 500w
Sound system 50-100w
Climate 3000w
Laptop 50w

That makes 3.7kw

Your car can sustain that for about 20 hours.

 

[tomfisher]

Thanks. I need to check if the MacBook Pro can connect via Bluetooth, easy thing to test out at showroom I guess.

could I go for a whole day in ‘extreme mode’?

 

[tomfisher]

Ballparking:

Car computer 500w
Sound system 50-100w
Climate 3000w
Laptop 50w

That makes 3.7kw

Your car can sustain that for about 20 hours.

Oh that’s amazing. Thanks for this!

 

[tomfisher]

Keep in mind that you'll need to be connecting via bluetooth. Otherwise you should be fine.

Hi sduck. I read from one of your 2018 posts on a similar topic that you’d tried loads of Bluetooth/aux devices, and then you said you’d happily use the model 3’s USB Audio interface with a major upgrade on the way. 2 years later, have they upgraded the USB audio interface? Can I use it as an audio interface for my MacBook Pro? Thanks

 

[hingus2000]

Can’t comment on the music studio bit but I own in London without access to off street parking and it hasn’t been a problem whatsoever.

 

[tomfisher]

Can’t comment on the music studio bit but I own in London without access to off street parking and it hasn’t been a problem whatsoever.

Thanks. Do you charge at Tesla stations usually or generic charging stations? Do you ever use Waitrose chargers?

 

[brkaus]

I just sat in my model s for 90 minutes. 105 degrees outside. I was parked in the shade. AC set to 70.

i used 7 miles of range.

my MacBook was on battery.

 

[tomfisher]

Amazing!

I just sat in my model s for 90 minutes. 105 degrees outside. I was parked in the shade. AC set to 70.

i used 7 miles of range.

my MacBook was on battery.

 

[AxlxA]

Bluetooth audio will have roughly a 250ms delay

 

[sduck]

Hi sduck. I read from one of your 2018 posts on a similar topic that you’d tried loads of Bluetooth/aux devices, and then you said you’d happily use the model 3’s USB Audio interface with a major upgrade on the way. 2 years later, have they upgraded the USB audio interface? Can I use it as an audio interface for my MacBook Pro? Thanks

No, they haven't upgraded the usb interface - they gave me some vague promises but never followed through. You can plug in a usb storage device and have it access those files, but you can't do any kind of real time audio pass through. The bluetooth audio isn't bad though, as far as bluetooth goes. Try it, see if it'll work for you. I've never tried hooking up my computer to the bluetooth, but I suppose it would work.

FWIW there is a way you can hack an aux jack type interface via the antenna connection on the radio module - I actually went and bought all the hardware to do this a while ago but haven't gotten around to doing it, so don't know yet if it's worth the bother.

 

[Rothgarr]

During a recent power outage we watched an hour of Spaceballs on Netflix in my Model 3 with the A/C on the whole time. Honestly, I don't think the battery lost more than 1%.

Question to the OP. Do you think mixing your audio to be optimal on a high grade car stereo is the way to go? If you are producing for TV and ads, wouldn't it be better to test on televisions? I ask because I like to compose music for hobby, and one of the most difficult things I experience is mixing/mastering and trying to get something to sound decent through ear buds, beat headphones, car stereos, laptops, etc. Curious how you do it.