Tesla has decided to no longer include the mobile connector with its electric vehicle purchases. This is not the first company that has started selling its chargers separately, but with Apple and Samsung, the assumption is that users already have the power adapters. When driving an EV, that could be the person’s first one, while it’s less likely it would be the user’s first smartphone.
This comes not long after Tesla raised its prices for all of its vehicles between $2,000 and $10,000 due to inflation. Between the pandemic and the Russian-Ukraine war, the EV company has not been immune to supply chain issues and prices increasing on materials needed to make the cars. The price hikes on the Model 3 and Model Y make them ineligible for California’s EV rebate. Electric vehicles can already be out of people’s price range, and adding more costs makes it more difficult for consumers who want to make the switch to electric.
Twitter user Tesla_Adri noticed Tesla made a change to its website. As of sometime this month, the mobile connector no longer says “comes with [the] vehicle.” It now has a price tag of $400. Elon Musk responded to a Twitter user complaining about the decision and replied that the usage of the mobile connector was low. He adds as a bonus to this move that “we will be including more plug adapters with the mobile connector kit.” There is another option to the $400 corded mobile connector, and that’s the $275 gen 2 mobile connector bundle, but it charges at a slower speed. Currently, the mobile connectors are out of stock. Of course, the mobile connector is not the only option for charging an EV. Tesla also sells a Wall connector, priced at $495.
Will Chargers Sold Separately Be The Norm For The EV Industry?
Other EV brands still include a mobile charger with their vehicle purchases. People were outraged when Apple stopped providing its chargers in the box, but Samsung soon followed suit. It could only be a matter of time before other EV companies decide this is a great idea. If there were more charging stations, the mobile connector might not be as needed. Musk also tweeted that it’s not required if the owner has a wall connector or uses Superchargers.
Though, Musk listened to complaints and said that the company is dropping the mobile connector price to $200 and will make “it easy to order with [a] car.” The website still says $400 at the time of publishing, so Tesla buyers will have to wait and see if that price becomes official. It is also unclear if he’s referring to the corded or the gen 2 mobile connector. EV buyers will also have to wait and see what effect this has on the rest of the industry.
Source: Tesla_Adri/Twitter, Elon Musk/Twitter, Tesla 1, 2