Tesla will no longer include mobile connectors with every car

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

The company will no longer include the mobile accessory with new car purchases, and will instead sell it separately for $200, according to a series of messages from Musk. Drivers can charge their cars from a standard household outlet with the mobile connector, but other adapters are available for purchase separately.

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

On Saturday night, a user found that the support page had been updated to state that the mobile accessory costs $400. The mobile accessory was listed as an accessory by the company.

In a reply to a user, Musk confirmed that the company will no longer include a connectors with purchases. It is not clear which ones will be included with the kit.

The price of the mobile connector will be lowered to $200 based on user feedback, according to Musk. He said that customers should get a wall charger before their car arrives, and that they will make it easy to order the mobile connection when purchasing a car.

Even though the mobile connector is out of stock, you can't purchase it even if you wanted to. It's not clear how long it has been out of stock, or whether a supply chain shortage is contributing to the decision. When asked about the dissolution of its public relations team in the new year,Tesla didn't respond immediately.

Reactions to Musk's decision have been mixed. Some drivers say it's comforting to have the mobile connector with them while traveling, as they can charge their car from a wall charger installed at their home or at a charging station. The accessory allows drivers to plug their car into a standard 120v outlet, which can be useful at campsites or when traveling in an area without charging stations.

Some drivers say the mobile server is a cheaper alternative to the wall charger, while others say they rarely use it. The Nissan Leaf, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Chevy Bolt, and all BMW EVs come standard with 120v or 240v connections.

Apple stopped including chargers with its new phones in 2020. It's too early to tell if this situation will lead to a domino effect among other EV makers.