Tesla Will No Longer Include Mobile Chargers With Every New Vehicle
Tesla has stopped including its mobile connector with every new vehicle purchase. It will instead separately sell its Gen 2 (Level 1) bundle for a lower price of $200.
A Twitter user, @Tesla_Adri, noticed that Tesla updated its support page to indicate the mobile connector bundle no longer comes with the car last Saturday. It was previously listed as an accessory that "comes standard with purchase."
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The mobile connector bundle comes with a NEMA 5-15 adapter that allows owners to charge their cars into any standard 110v household outlet. This change was personally confirmed by Tesla CEO Elon Musk in a series of tweets sent yesterday.
"Usage statistics were super low, so seemed wasteful," Musk explained. "On the (minor) plus side, we will be including more plug adapters with the mobile connector kit." It's currently unclear when and which adapters Tesla will start including with the kit.
Musk tweeted another update later, saying that, based on feedback they've received, Tesla "will drop mobile connector price to $200 & make it easy to order with car."
He also noted that a mobile connecter won't be needed if you have a Supercharger and Tesla wall connector, and advised installing a wall connector before a car arrives. The accessory charges at a much slower rate compared to these other methods, with the Gen 2 charger providing about one to three miles of range after an hour of charging.
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User reactions to Musk's decision are mixed. Some drivers expressed it's comforting to have the mobile connector with them while traveling as it can come in handy at campsites or when traveling in an area without or far from charging stations. Other owners also say the mobile connector serves as a much cheaper alternative to the expensive wall charger, while others say they rarely use it at all.
At the moment, the Gen 2 Mobile Connector Bundle is priced at $275 on Tesla's online store and is currently out of stock, and so is the Gen 1 connector. It's unclear if the bundle will be restocked soon.