Tesla Model HVAC? Elon Musk Teases Tesla-Made Home Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning System

by Lauren Leazenby
red tesla parked in driveway

Elon Musk has once again hinted at a “super efficient” Tesla home HVAC system. But it's still unclear whether this is a potential product from the Silicon Valley-born all-electric luxury automaker, or if Musk is thinking out loud, well ... on Twitter, as it were.

This May Also Interest You: Smart AC Not a Dumb Idea If You’re Looking to Cut Climate-Control Costs

The Tesla CEO took to Twitter on June 15 to confirm that new firmware is coming soon for the Tesla Model S that will make the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system noise quieter on the already characteristically quiet vehicle. He also touted the air purification system available in the Model S sedan and Model X SUV, which uses a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter that can remove at least 99.97% of airborne particles like dust, pollen and bacteria. (Tesla calls this feature Bioweapon Defense Mode, in case you were wondering.)

Musk seemed so proud of this innovation that he may break Tesla’s no-advertising policy just to tell people about it, reported Electrek, a publication that writes about sustainable energy and electric cars, with a particular emphasis on Tesla. He also tweeted that it would be “great” to use the technology in homes: “Oh man, home hvac that is super energy efficient, quiet & purifies the air would be great. We developed it for the car, but it can be scaled up for home use.”

Such a home HVAC system has been an open secret Tesla product-in-supposed-development for some time now. Musk has been talking about it for nearly three years, but so far, no such product has been announced by the company.

The whole idea came to light in an interview on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast in 2018, during which Musk teased the idea of a “Tesla Smart Home.” Not to be confused with the Disney classic, Musk’s idea of a smart house wasn’t a “genius home,” but an air conditioning system that can predict when you’ll be in the house and cool the rooms you’re most likely to use. Theoretically, it could connect to your Tesla to know when you’re on your way home.

When podcast host Rogan asked whether he had thought about creating an air conditioning system, Musk said that he couldn’t answer questions about potential products, adding that making an air conditioning system “would be a really interesting idea.”

However, Musk’s more recent communication has hinted that a Tesla HVAC system is a little more nebulous than the label “potential product” suggests.

In March 2020, Musk tweeted about an upgraded version of this idea: “Sure would love to do home hvac that’s quiet & efficient, with humidity control and HEPA filter.” A few weeks after that, Musk tweeted he was “dying” to make an HVAC system that also includes water distillation.

Over a year later, there’s still no major announcement from Tesla on when — or whether — we’ll see a home HVAC system, though green-household-tech endeavors aren’t unprecedented from the company, which also markets solar roofs and solar panels. Plus, Musk is the type to keep you on your toes.

“We will make super efficient home hvac with hepa filters one day,” he tweeted in September.

More Related Articles:

Manufacturer image

Related Articles