Tesla is no longer including the mobile charging connector with new vehicles

Jun 30, 2023

In a series of tweets, Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed that the company will no longer include the Gen 2 mobile connector bundle with new car orders and will instead sell it separately for $200. The mobile connector package includes an adaptor that allows drivers to charge their vehicles using a conventional 110v or 220v household outlet.

According to Musk, the move was triggered by customer input. He explained his choice on Twitter to sell the package individually: "Usage statistics were super low, so seemed wasteful. On the (minor) plus side, we will be including more plug adaptors with the mobile connector kit."

Musk provided another update hours later in a response to Tesla owner @WholeMarsBlog, stating that "based on user feedback," Tesla will lower the price of the mobile connector to $200, from the previous $275. He also stated that Tesla will "make it easy" to order the mobile connector when purchasing a car, and that owners should install a wall charger "long before" their car arrives.

The Gen 2 mobile connector package, which includes a 20-foot cable, a 110V adapter, and a storage bag, is still available on Tesla's website, but it's impossible to get your hands on one right now; the mobile connector, like the Gen 1 connector, is presently out of stock. This fact has made some wonder whether it was a supply chain shortage that prompted this decision.

Over time, the charging kit that came with it evolved. Tesla used to supply a charging cable that included both a NEMA 14-50 (Level 2) connector and a normal outlet connector (Level 1). Later, the manufacturer opted to remove the NEMA 14-50 connector from the bundle, leaving only the NEMA 5-15 adaptor for regular outlets. The Level 2 connector could be purchased separately.

The reaction to this current decision has been divided. Even though most Tesla owners may charge their cars from a wall charger at home or at a charging station, many also use the vehicle's mobile connector to charge at home.

Having the Gen 2 bundle in the vehicle can also make drivers feel more comfortable when adventuring far from their homes.

Since the adapter allows Tesla owners to connect their car to a regular outlet, it can prove very useful at campsites or when traveling in an area without charging facilities, despite it charging at a remarkably slower rate - offering around two to three miles of range after an hour of charging.

For those owners waiting for delivery of their vehicle and wondering whether the mobile connector will be included, we're hearing that it depends on your delivery date.

If you ordered your Tesla after April 17th, then your vehicle will not include the mobile connector at delivery.

As long as you ordered your Tesla on or before April 17th then it looks like you will receive the mobile connector. It shouldn't matter when your delivery date is scheduled for, as Tesla is basing it on your order date.

This move has been compared by some to Apple's controversial decision in 2020 to stop including chargers with its new iPhones, a move that was quickly followed by the likes of Samsung and Google. Only time will tell if other EV makers will follow Tesla in this choice.

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