ESPHome Tesla BLE

Manage your Tesla vehicle over BLE using an ESP32 — control charging, check battery status, lock/unlock, and more.

Controls	Sensors	Diagnostic

Quick Start

1. Copy secrets.yaml.example → secrets.yaml, fill in WiFi + VIN (BLE MAC comes later; see Finding the BLE MAC below)
2. Pick your install method:

Method	How	Best for
ESPHome Dashboard	Import a URL into the add-on (below)	HA + ESPHome add-on users
CLI	make compile && make upload	Users with Python + uv

Boards

Pick the config for your hardware:

Board	Dashboard URL	CLI
M5Stack NanoC6	tesla-ble-m5stack-nanoc6.dashboard.yml	BOARD=m5stack-nanoc6
M5Stack AtomS3	tesla-ble-m5stack-atoms3.dashboard.yml	BOARD=m5stack-atoms3
Generic ESP32	tesla-ble-esp32-generic.dashboard.yml	BOARD=esp32-generic

Other boards? Copy one from boards/ and set it with BOARD=<your-board>.

Features

• Pair BLE key (DRIVER or CHARGING_MANAGER role)
• Wake vehicle, set charging amps/limit, start/stop charging
• Sensors: asleep/awake, locked/unlocked, user presence, charge port, BLE signal, IEC 61851
• Charging sensors: battery level, charge rate, energy added, time to full, charger phases

Installation

ESPHome Dashboard (recommended)

If you run the ESPHome add-on in Home Assistant:

1. Go to ESPHome dashboard → New Device → Continue
2. Paste the full URL for your board and click Install
3. The dashboard downloads the config from this repo
4. Add secrets (WiFi + VIN to start; BLE MAC comes later)

github://yoziru/esphome-tesla-ble/tesla-ble-m5stack-nanoc6.dashboard.yml@main

The first flash needs only WiFi + VIN. After you find the BLE MAC, add ble_mac_address to your secrets and re-install (OTA).

Or copy tesla-ble.example.yml as a starting point for custom configs.

CLI

Requires Python 3.10+, uv, and GNU Make.

cp secrets.yaml.example secrets.yaml   # edit with your details
make validate-config BOARD=m5stack-nanoc6  # check config first
make compile BOARD=m5stack-nanoc6         # build firmware
make upload BOARD=m5stack-nanoc6          # flash via USB
make logs                                 # view logs

For OTA updates after initial USB flash:

make discover                      # find your device on the network
make upload                        # OTA flash (uses saved suffix)

Available boards: m5stack-nanoc6, m5stack-atoms3, esp32-generic.

All make commands accept BOARD=<board> to select the target hardware.

Configuration

BLE Key Role

The role determines what the paired BLE key can do (set during pairing):

• DRIVER (default) — full access: lock/unlock, frunk/trunk, windows, honk, climate, charging
• CHARGING_MANAGER — charging only: start/stop, set amps, set limit, open charge port, basic info

The Tesla backend enforces these restrictions. Change requires re-pairing.

Polling

tesla_ble_vehicle:
  vcsec_poll_interval: 10               # Status updates (always safe, low power)
  infotainment_poll_interval_awake: 30  # Detailed data when idle
  infotainment_poll_interval_active: 10 # Detailed data when charging/sentry mode
  infotainment_sleep_timeout: 660       # Idle seconds before letting the car sleep (default 11 min)

The system only polls infotainment data during an 11-minute wake window, then lets the car sleep. Active charging and sentry mode keep it awake for continuous updates. A car that is merely left unlocked, or that reports user presence because a phone is in range, is treated as idle — the integration backs off and lets it sleep regardless. VCSEC status polling is low-power and does not affect vehicle sleep.

Usage

Finding the BLE MAC

Your vehicle constantly advertises via BLE with a name derived from its VIN (format: S + 16 hex chars + C). This advertisement comes from VCSEC (vehicle security controller) which is always powered — no need to wake the car. You need the MAC address of that advertisement to configure the ESP32.

The tesla_ble_listener component is included in the firmware but disabled by default. You enable it temporarily, find the MAC, then disable it.

Via ESPHome Dashboard

After importing your board's config and adding WiFi + VIN secrets:

1. Click Edit to open your device's YAML
2. Add these lines at the end:

   # Enable BLE scanning to find your vehicle's MAC
   tesla_ble_listener:
     vin: !secret tesla_vin

3. Save and Install
4. Open Logs — you'll see:

   [I][tesla_ble_listener:054]: Found Tesla vehicle | Name: S1a87a5a75f3df858C | MAC: A0:B1:C2:D3:E4:F5
   

5. Click Edit again, remove the two lines you added, and add ble_mac_address to your Secrets
6. Install again

Via CLI

In a local checkout of this repo:

1. Uncomment listener: !include listener.yml in packages/base.yml
2. Add tesla_vin to secrets.yaml
3. Build, flash, and watch logs:

   make compile BOARD=m5stack-nanoc6 && make upload BOARD=m5stack-nanoc6
   make logs

4. Note the MAC from the log output
5. Re-comment the line in packages/base.yml and run make clean
6. Add ble_mac_address to secrets.yaml, rebuild, and reflash

Via Phone BLE Scanner (alternative)

Install a BLE scanner app (nRF Connect, LightBlue), scan nearby devices, and look for one with an 18-character name starting with S and ending with C (e.g., S1a87a5a75f3df858C). That's your vehicle. No build needed.

Pairing the BLE Key

1. Sit in your car with the ESP32 powered and within BLE range

2. In Home Assistant: Settings → Devices & Services → ESPHome → your device → "Pair BLE key"

3. Tap your NFC key card to the center console immediately

4. A prompt appears on the car's screen — tap confirm

   

5. Verify: go to Controls → Locks in the car — you'll see a new key named "Unknown device"

   

6. [Optional] Rename it to "ESPHome BLE"

No popup? Press "Pair BLE key" and tap your card again. Make sure BLE MAC and VIN are correct.

Adding to Home Assistant

Settings → Devices & Services → Add Integration → ESPHome. Enter the device's IP (find it in your router or from the ESPHome dashboard) and your API encryption key.

Make commands reference

Command	What it does
make validate-config BOARD=<board>	Check YAML without building
make compile BOARD=<board>	Build firmware
make upload BOARD=<board>	Flash via USB (add HOST_SUFFIX for OTA)
make logs	View live device logs
make discover	Find ESPHome devices on your network, saves suffix for OTA
make clean	Delete build artifacts (do this when changing config)
make help	Show all commands

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely cause
"Found Tesla vehicle" never appears	The listener isn't enabled. For CLI: uncomment listener: !include listener.yml in packages/base.yml. For Dashboard: add tesla_ble_listener: block to your YAML (see above). VCSEC always advertises — no need to wake the car.
Pairing fails with HMAC error	BLE MAC or VIN is wrong. Verify both in secrets.yaml.
Car stays awake	Active charging or sentry mode keep it awake. Otherwise the integration backs off after infotainment_sleep_timeout of idle time and lets the car sleep — watch the log for Polling Infotainment (sleeping - NO_WAKE_SKIP).
Unknown on boot	Normal for some sensors — VCSEC corrects within ~10s.
Compile errors	Board mismatch? Run make clean, then make compile again.
uv: command not found	Install uv