We had to update our Tesla Model 3 Mounts article a few times. If you build them, mounts will be made. And that’s exactly what happened over the past few years.
Finding good mounting locations in Tesla models has never been easy. Our mount analysis will be similar to what we observed on the Tesla Model Y because they have very similar interiors.
Tesla Model 3 Mount Analysis
A photo of the interior of the Tesla Model 3 accompanies this article. It isn’t going to be easy to find many spots for a phone mount. A tablet mount is possible in only one location which we will cover later in this post.
Looking at the interior, we see an easily accessible windshield and a fairly large dash somewhat blocked by the large tablet in the middle. The vents are integrated inside the dash and controlled from the display so it’s not easy to mount anything in that location. There are a pair of cup holder that could work. How about a CD player slot mount? Don’t be silly, this is a Tesla, there’s no CD player (nor can you use Android Auto or Apple Car Play).
That leaves us with two locations for mounting a phone in a Tesla Model 3. The windshield and cup holder are the best locations to mount a stuff in a Tesla Model 3. We will recommend a few mounts that fit this criteria. We have also uncovered a few unique places as well.
Windshield Mounts for the Tesla Model 3
First up is the windshield on this vehicle. This is probably the best location for mounting a phone because it keeps the phone within easy view ans easy reach. Be sure the mounting location doesn’t block your view of the road.
Consider the Arkon Slim Grip Ultra Travel Mount for smartphones. The cradle expands to over seven-inches wide and that is large enough to hold a phone with or without a case (including a thick Otterbox Defender). The expandable cradle includes support legs that can be moved from side to side to leave any port on your phone exposed for cables. The mount can be adjusted at the base and cradle. It rotates 360 degrees.
If you would like to use a Garmin GPS in this vehicle instead of the gigantic display, remove the cradle and adapter from this mount. That uncovers a 17mm ball which is the exact size necessary to fit the socket on the back of a Garmin vehicle GPS cradle (such as the Nuvi or Drive).
Tablet Mount Locations in the Tesla Model 3
Those wanting to add a tablet to their ride don’t have many locations to choose from. We think the best location for small to midsize tablet is the cup holder in the console.
Consider the APPS2CAR Cup Holder Mount for Tablets and Phones. This mount includes two different cradles. One for a phone and another for a tablet. The mount is adjustable and solidly made to easily handle the weight of your tablet. You will see a lot of mounts on the market for tablets or cell phones. This is one of the few car mount kits known that offers two different cradles, one for the phone, the other for the tablet. The tablet cradle will hold devices up to 11 inches.
Unique Locations in the Tesla Model Y for Mounting a Phone
Being a Tesla, there are some ingenious places manufacturers thought of to mount devices. These mounts were not available several years ago, but now they are.
First up is the use of the air vent slit. As Tesla owners know, this isn’t a traditional air vent. We need a mount that will fit in that slit.
That’s where the Ainope Phone Mount for Tesla Y and 3 comes into play. This mount includes a series of hooks that slides right into the vent area. There is an included cradle that fits phone from 4-7 inches. Phones with cases can fit just fine.
The other unique mount for this model is the Andobil Tesla Model 3 and Model Y Magsafe Phone Holder. This mount will attach to the top of the display and has a magnetic attachment that fits phones with the Magsafe attachment. It’s an excellent idea and places the phone at an excellent location in the line of site of the driver. The installation is quick and easy. We are big fans of Andobil mounts and have recommended these in other articles.
Mount Summary for the Tesla Model 3
So in spite of the challenge presented by Tesla, we came up with some good places to mount a phone or tablet. The windshield and cup holder are possibilities and we discussed some unique Tesla-only mounts that will work as well.