Tesla customers were quick to respond to the automaker’s announcement that it will no longer provide its standard mobile charging connector with the purchase of new vehicles. A mobile connector bundle has been included with every Tesla vehicle purchased to date, but customers will now have to purchase one separately.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk defended the decision on Twitter, stating, “Usage statistics were super low, so seemed wasteful. On the (minor) plus side, we will be including more plug adapters with the mobile connector kit.”
Historically, Tesla customers would utilize the formerly-included 120-V connector to charge their vehicles with a standard home outlet before deciding on what model of charger they wanted to install at their homes. Tesla owners report that this method charges their cars very slowly (2 to 3 miles of range per hour), but it eliminates the need to place a rush on getting more intricate charging equipment. Many opt to combine the 120-V charging method with public chargers for some period of time before installing chargers at their houses.
Buyers will now need to make a decision and have the chargers installed beforehand, or they will have to pay extra for the mobile connector kit. Musk followed up with a tweet that said, “Recommend installing Tesla wall connector well before the car arrives.”
The 120-V mobile connector kit will cost $275, and a faster 240-V kit will cost $400. After the announcement, the kits were sold out on Tesla’s website.
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