Following significant pushback against Tesla’s decision to remove the complimentary Corded Mobile Connector from new electric vehicle (EV) purchases and instead sell it as a standalone product for $275 USD, company CEO Elon Musk says the company will slash the price to soften the blow.
“We will drop mobile connector price to $200 & make it easy to order with car,” Musk said in a tweet late Saturday evening.
Based on feedback received, we will drop mobile connector price to $200 & make it easy to order with car.
Note, mobile connector is not needed if you have a Tesla wall connector or to use Superchargers.
Recommend installing Tesla wall connector well before car arrives.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 17, 2022
Musk confirmed Saturday afternoon that new Teslas would no longer come with an included Mobile Connector for charging due to “super low” usage statistics, which made the addition “wasteful.”
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.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 16, 2022
The Gen 2 Mobile Connector bundle used to come included with every EV you ordered from Tesla.
The Mobile Connector can actually charge a Tesla slowly enough to be a viable option for daily charging if you’re not a heavy commuter, and it particularly comes in handy during long road trips or in regions with lackluster charging infrastructure. It’s pretty much like a tire jack — you don’t need one until you do.
That being the case, Tesla owners and enthusiasts argued that the EV maker should either reverse the decision or at least offer the Corded Mobile Connector bundle as an optional, free add-on in its vehicle configurator.
Please reverse this decision. Mobile connector is a basic piece of equipment for every and any electric vehicle and one of the main advantages of having one, ie: you can charge anywhere.
— Eduardo Arcos (@earcos) April 16, 2022
You should offer it for free for those who need it if you’re not going to reduce the cost of the car. It’s the right thing to do
— TREV PAGE (@Model3Owners) April 16, 2022
A $75 drop in price is neither of those, but it is certainly a step in the right direction.
The Gen 2 Mobile Connector is still listed for $275 on Tesla’s online store at the time of writing, but it is also currently out of stock. The product page should be updated soon, if not when the connector actually comes back in stock.
Update: Clarified to note the Gen 2 Mobile Connector is the one that used to come included with Tesla purchases, not the standalone Corded Mobile Connector with fixed 14-50 adapter.
Can you guys actually get the reporting right? The one that came with the cars was never $400. It was $275. Now $200. There’s a difference between the ‘corded’ mobile connector (not modular) and the mobile connector (modular). It’s not quite the main point, but your pictures make it the point.
Thanks. Just clarified! The document change led to some confusion with the $400 price. cheers
Is this happening elsewhere in the world, too?