Are You Lucky Enough to Own a Tesla Model 3? Then Follow Adafruit’s Guide to Add Qi Wireless Charging
First of all, congratulations on your Tesla! The Model 3 is a very cool car that is packed full of neat technology. But, one thing it’s lacking is built-in Qi wireless charging for your smartphone. Thankfully, Adafruit has your back, and you can pretty easily fix that oversight by following their guide to seamlessly equip your Tesla with a Qi charger.
The only parts you’ll need are Adafruit’s Universal Qi Wireless Charging Transmitter and a 3D-printed mat that replaces the one in the Model 3’s center console. Adafruit provides the STL files that you need to print, and recommends using TPU filament, which is the same material the stock mat is made from. They used an Ultimaker 2+ 3D printer, but you can always use a 3D printing service if you don’t have access to a printer yourself.
From there, you simply push the coil into place and use four M3x6mm screws to mount the control board. Installation in the car is as easy as pulling out the original mat, dropping in the new one, and plugging in the USB cable. The control board even has an extra USB port, so you’re not sacrificing anything. That’s it — now you can enjoy Qi wireless charging in your Tesla Model 3!
