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Setting Up TeslaMate: A Complete Guide

Tutorial 15 min read

If you're a Tesla owner who loves data (and who doesn't?), TeslaMate is an absolute game-changer. This self-hosted solution gives you incredibly detailed insights into your vehicle's performance, efficiency, and usage patterns. Here's my complete guide to getting it up and running.

What You'll Need

  • A server or computer that can run 24/7 (Raspberry Pi 4 works great)
  • Docker and Docker Compose installed
  • Your Tesla account credentials
  • About 30-60 minutes of setup time

Step 1: Installing Docker

First, we need to install Docker on your server. If you're using Ubuntu or Debian:

curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh
sudo sh get-docker.sh
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

Step 2: Setting Up the Docker Compose File

Create a new directory for TeslaMate and create a docker-compose.yml file:

mkdir ~/teslamate
cd ~/teslamate
nano docker-compose.yml

Here's my complete docker-compose.yml configuration:

version: '3'
services:
  teslamate:
    image: teslamate/teslamate:latest
    restart: always
    environment:
      - ENCRYPTION_KEY=your-secret-key-here
      - DATABASE_USER=teslamate
      - DATABASE_PASS=secret
      - DATABASE_NAME=teslamate
      - DATABASE_HOST=database
      - MQTT_HOST=mosquitto
    ports:
      - 4000:4000
    volumes:
      - ./import:/opt/app/import
    depends_on:
      - database
      - mosquitto

  database:
    image: postgres:14
    restart: always
    environment:
      - POSTGRES_USER=teslamate
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=secret
      - POSTGRES_DB=teslamate
    volumes:
      - teslamate-db:/var/lib/postgresql/data

  grafana:
    image: teslamate/grafana:latest
    restart: always
    environment:
      - DATABASE_USER=teslamate
      - DATABASE_PASS=secret
      - DATABASE_NAME=teslamate
      - DATABASE_HOST=database
    ports:
      - 3000:3000
    volumes:
      - teslamate-grafana-data:/var/lib/grafana

  mosquitto:
    image: eclipse-mosquitto:2
    restart: always
    command: mosquitto -c /mosquitto-no-auth.conf
    volumes:
      - mosquitto-conf:/mosquitto/config
      - mosquitto-data:/mosquitto/data

volumes:
  teslamate-db:
  teslamate-grafana-data:
  mosquitto-conf:
  mosquitto-data:

Step 3: Starting the Services

Now let's start everything up:

docker-compose up -d

This will download all the necessary Docker images and start the services. You can check if everything is running with:

docker-compose ps

Step 4: Initial Configuration

Open your browser and navigate to http://your-server-ip:4000. You'll see the TeslaMate setup page where you'll need to enter your Tesla credentials.

Important: I highly recommend using a refresh token instead of your actual Tesla password. You can generate one using the Tesla Auth app.

Step 5: Exploring Grafana Dashboards

The real magic happens in Grafana. Navigate to http://your-server-ip:3000 and log in with:

  • Username: admin
  • Password: admin

You'll find pre-configured dashboards for:

  • Drive efficiency and consumption
  • Charging statistics and costs
  • Battery degradation over time
  • Climate control impact on range
  • Trip history and statistics
  • And much more!

Advanced Tips

Setting Up Reverse Proxy

For secure external access, I use Nginx as a reverse proxy with SSL certificates from Let's Encrypt. This allows me to access my dashboards from anywhere securely.

Backup Strategy

Don't forget to backup your data! I run a nightly backup of the PostgreSQL database:

docker exec teslamate_database_1 pg_dump -U teslamate teslamate > backup.sql

Custom Dashboards

While the default dashboards are excellent, you can create custom ones in Grafana. I've built specialized dashboards for tracking Supercharger usage and comparing seasonal efficiency.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Tesla API Rate Limiting

If you see authentication errors, you might be hitting Tesla's rate limits. TeslaMate handles this gracefully, but you can adjust the polling interval in the settings.

Database Connection Issues

If Grafana can't connect to the database, ensure all services are on the same Docker network and the credentials match.

Missing Data

TeslaMate needs time to collect data. Don't worry if dashboards look empty initially - they'll populate after a few drives.

Privacy Considerations

Since TeslaMate is self-hosted, all your data stays on your server. However, consider these privacy aspects:

  • Use strong passwords for all services
  • Keep your server updated
  • Consider geo-fence settings to hide sensitive locations
  • Regular backups protect against data loss

Conclusion

TeslaMate has completely transformed how I understand my Model 3's performance and costs. The insights it provides have helped me optimize my driving habits, understand charging patterns, and track the true cost of ownership.

The setup might seem complex initially, but once running, it's incredibly stable and requires minimal maintenance. The value of the data you'll collect makes it absolutely worth the effort.

Have questions about setting up TeslaMate or want to share your experience? Feel free to reach out!