Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirms mobile connector’s price drop as it is no longer included in new cars

Elon Musk confirmed Tesla would no longer include the free mobile connector bundle for new vehicles. The CEO also noted that the charging accessory can be bought separately and that the company will reduce its price after feedback from customers.

The changes were first noticed by Twitter user @tesla_adri, who saw on April 9 that Tesla edited some wording on its website to indicate that the mobile connector will no longer be included in new vehicles. The update was implemented on Saturday on Tesla’s support page for home charging. The table for customers’ home charging options previously said the mobile connector “comes with vehicle,” but the same user found that it has been changed to a $400 purchase price.

Musk later confirmed these changes in a couple of Twitter posts, saying the company removed the mobile connector as a free inclusion in new vehicles because not many people were using it. “Usage statistics were super low, so seemed wasteful,” the Tesla CEO said. “On the (minor) plus side, we will be including more plug adapters with the mobile connector kit.”

Tesla has been offering the Corded Mobile Connector and Gen 2 Mobile Connector Bundle in its shop for $400 and $275, respectively. But in the same series of tweets, Musk announced that Tesla would reduce the mobile connector’s price to $200 “based on feedback received.”

As of this writing, the Tesla shop still displays the original prices for both mobile connectors. But the price reduction will likely be applied once the mobile connector is available again. Both charging accessories are currently out of stock.

Meanwhile, installing the wall connector is the recommended charging option, as stated on Tesla’s home charging support page, saying it is “the most dynamic home charging solution.” Musk reiterated this in the same tweet and advised that new Tesla drivers install the wall connector even before their vehicle is delivered.

There have been different responses to Tesla’s announcement. Some agreed with Musk by saying they do not often use their free mobile connector kit. Others, however, found it useful on certain occasions, like going on a vacation in areas where there are no nearby charging stations. The Gen 2 mobile connector allows drivers to plug in their vehicles in a standard 110v outlet, but its charging rate is relatively slower at “2-3 miles of range per hour.”

Photo by Austin Ramsey on Unsplash