Family road trip in a Tesla: the charging guide

Good news for parents: a Tesla road trip forces the breaks you were going to need anyway. Here's how to plan one from Brisbane without the drama.

1. Let the car plan the charging

Put the destination into the car's navigation. It plans Supercharger stops, tells you how long to charge at each, and warms the battery on the way so it charges faster. Check the Tesla app before you go for site availability and prices.

2. Know your real range

Range drops at highway speeds, into headwinds and on hot days with the air-con working hard. For example, our standard-range Model Ys show 374–397 km rated, and averaged 152–186 Wh/km in real-world driving (roughly 290–360 km per full charge). Plan to arrive at each stop with a comfortable buffer, around 10–20%. More in our range guide.

3. Charge to suit the trip

• Leave home on a full charge if the car recommends it (LFP batteries are happy at 100%).
• At Superchargers, charging is fastest at lower charge levels, so several shorter stops often beat one long one.
• Overnight at your destination? Ask about a destination charger or a power point.

4. Turn charging stops into family stops

20–30 minutes is about right for a toilet stop, a run-around and a snack. Our fleet's median Supercharger session was about 25 minutes. Pick stops with a playground or a bakery and nobody will complain. (Somebody will still complain.)

5. Pack like a pro

• Model Y: big boot, under-floor storage and a frunk. Pop the wet stuff in the frunk.
• Booster seat: add one for A$65.
• Camping? Our Model Y air mattress (A$185/week) turns the back into a bed, and Camp Mode keeps the climate running.
• Spare tyre for remote trips: A$185/week.
• Keep the charging cable in the car if it's supplied for your hire.

6. Keep the cabin comfy

Pre-cool the car while you're still plugged in, so the energy comes from the charger. Turn on Cabin Overheat Protection when you're parked. On cool mornings, seat heaters are more efficient than heating the whole cabin.

7. Long highway stretches

On a Premium 2027 car with the Full Self-Driving (Supervised) subscription, it can handle lane changes and merges along your route. You stay attentive, eyes on the road and hands ready to take over immediately. It doesn't make the car autonomous. About FSD (Supervised)

8. Budget the charging

Our fleet paid A$0.31–0.60/kWh at SEQ Superchargers (median A$0.48, Sep–Oct 2026). Off-peak prices are the lowest. Prices vary by site and time, so check the app. Supercharger costs explained

Do it in a Charge Drive Tesla

Prepaid km means a big road trip just uses km from your balance. Personal trips anywhere in Australia are fine. Insurance and rego are included.

Plan a road trip in a Model Y →Everyday driving plans →

Tip first, punchline second: plan your stops, and the only drama on this road trip will be over who controls the music.

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Charge Drive Australia