Setup guide

Install TeslaMateApi & connect Tezi

Tezi reads your data through TeslaMateApi — a small REST service that sits on top of your existing TeslaMate database. This guide adds it to your Docker stack in about ten minutes.

New to TeslaMate? Set up TeslaMate itself first, following the official Docker installation guide. Come back here once it's logging your drives.

01What you'll need

A working TeslaMate instance running with Docker Compose.
Access to its docker-compose.yml and the machine it runs on.
Two values from your TeslaMate config: the database password and the ENCRYPTION_KEY.

02Add the TeslaMateApi service

Open your existing docker-compose.yml (the one that runs TeslaMate) and add a new service alongside the others. It connects to the same database and mosquitto containers TeslaMate already uses.

docker-compose.yml — add under services:

teslamateapi:
  image: tobiasehlert/teslamateapi:latest
  restart: always
  depends_on:
    - database
  environment:
    - ENCRYPTION_KEY=your_teslamate_encryption_key   # same as TeslaMate
    - DATABASE_USER=teslamate
    - DATABASE_PASS=your_database_password
    - DATABASE_NAME=teslamate
    - DATABASE_HOST=database
    - MQTT_HOST=mosquitto
    - TZ=Europe/Paris
    - API_TOKEN_DISABLE=false
    - API_TOKEN=choose-a-long-random-token
  ports:
    - 8080:8080

The two must-match values: DATABASE_PASS and ENCRYPTION_KEY have to be identical to the ones in your TeslaMate service, or TeslaMateApi can't read the database. If you don't use MQTT, you can drop the MQTT_HOST line.

03Protect it with a token

Setting API_TOKEN_DISABLE=false requires every request to carry a bearer token. Generate a long random one and keep it — you'll paste it into Tezi. For example:

Terminal

openssl rand -hex 32

Use the output as your API_TOKEN. Never expose TeslaMateApi to the internet without protection — see step 6.

04Start the service

From the folder containing your compose file, pull the image and bring it up:

Terminal

docker compose pull teslamateapi
docker compose up -d teslamateapi

Check the logs if anything looks off: docker compose logs -f teslamateapi.

05Test the connection

Confirm the API answers on the machine itself. You should get JSON listing your car(s):

Terminal

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer your-api-token" \
     http://localhost:8080/api/v1/cars

A JSON response with your vehicle means TeslaMateApi is working. A 401 means the token is wrong; an empty or error response usually points to a database credential mismatch (step 2).

06Reach it from your iPhone

Pick whichever fits how you use your phone. Tezi supports all three:

Access	How	Auth in Tezi
Home network	Use your server's LAN address, e.g. `http://192.168.1.20:8080`. Best for use at home.	Bearer token
Remote (VPN)	Connect over Tailscale / WireGuard, then use the server's VPN address. Private and simple.	Bearer token
Remote (public)	Put it behind a reverse proxy (Traefik / Nginx) with HTTPS, or Cloudflare Access. Never expose port 8080 raw.	Bearer, Basic, or Cloudflare Access

iOS 18 tip: the first time Tezi reaches a device on your local network, iOS asks for permission — tap Allow so it can connect.

07Add the server in Tezi

Open Tezi and tap Add server.
Paste your server URL (including http:// or https:// and the port).
Choose Bearer token and paste the API_TOKEN from step 3 — or Basic / Cloudflare Access if that's how you secured it.
Tap Test connection, then save. Your vehicles load automatically.

That's it — your entire TeslaMate history is now in your pocket. Prefer to look around first? Tap Explore the demo on Tezi's welcome screen, no server required.

Stuck on a step? Email tezi@leyad.net — happy to help. Full API reference lives at the TeslaMateApi project.