{"id":20135,"date":"2022-04-16T18:43:44","date_gmt":"2022-04-16T22:43:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=20135"},"modified":"2022-04-16T18:43:44","modified_gmt":"2022-04-16T22:43:44","slug":"tesla-goes-full-apple-stops-delivering-cars-with-included-charging-cable-now-sold-separately","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=20135","title":{"rendered":"Tesla goes full Apple and stops delivering cars with included charging hardware, now sold separately"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tesla changed its long-standing policy to deliver every vehicle with a mobile charging cable and instead, it starts selling them separately for $400 for level 2 charging and $275 for level 1.<\/p>\n

The move is reminiscent of Apple removing the included USB charging brick with the iPhone.<\/a><\/p>\n

With charging being one of the biggest concerns for electric vehicle buyers, it made sense for Tesla to include a mobile charging cable with every vehicle sold.<\/p>\n

The included charging kit evolved over the years.<\/p>\n

Tesla used to include a charging cable with both a NEMA 14-50 (level 2) connector and a connector for a regular outlet (Level 1).<\/p>\n

The automaker later decided to drop the NEMA 14-50 connector from the included bundle and only included the NEMA 5-15 adapter, which is for a regular outlet. You could buy the Level 2 connector separately. <\/p>\n

With a max power output of 1.3kW, the included connector enabled charging speeds between 2-3 miles of range per hour. It\u2019s not much, but it is still better than nothing and good for overnight charging.<\/p>\n

For anything better, Tesla owners would have to install a level 2 charging station at home.<\/p>\n

Now Tesla has gone a step further and decided to not include any charging cable with its new vehicles.<\/p>\n

CEO Elon Musk said that Tesla believes that the usage amongst owners was too low to justify supplying the cable with every new car delivery:<\/p>\n

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\u201cUsage statistics were super low, so seemed wasteful. On the (minor) plus side, we will be including more plug adapters with the mobile connector kit.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The move is reminiscent of Apple\u2019s decision to stop supplying USB charging bricks with new iPhones a few years ago and the company also cited wastefulness at the time. <\/p>\n

However, the similarities stopped there. Apple could rely on the fact that most customers already had several USB\/Lightning bricks, but that\u2019s much less likely to be the case for Tesla buyers, especially those new to EVs. <\/p>\n

Also, even if most users don\u2019t use the mobile cables often, it might be extremely useful to keep in the car for a worst-case scenario or early in the ownership experience before you can get a home charging station installed. <\/p>\n

Compounding the concern is that both of Tesla\u2019s mobile connector are listed as \u201cout of stock\u201d on its website:<\/p>\n

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So for people taking delivery of new Tesla vehicles without included connector, they are going have to find an alternative somewhere else.<\/p>\n

Electrek\u2019s Take<\/h2>\n

I\u2019m not a fan of this move. I know everyone has a different situation, but I know a lot of owners who primarily use their included mobile charger \u2013 obviously more so when Tesla included the NEMA 14-50.<\/p>\n

Personally, I did probably over 80% of my charging on my Tesla Model 3 with the included charger.<\/p>\n

I think it just makes sense to sell an electric car with a charging device \u2013 even if it doesn\u2019t end up being your primary charging product.<\/p>\n

For what it is worth, Tesla isn\u2019t the first company to do this. We learned earlier this year that Kia\u2019s EV6 wouldn\u2019t be coming with a charging cable<\/a> and at the time we said:<\/p>\n

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The EV6 doesn\u2019t come with a Level 1 or 2 charging cable, for better or worse. Talking to the team I think the thinking is, why add a $1,000 part and the complexity associated with it when people might already have a charging station at home, might not have a garage, and\/or could probably pick one designed best for them for a cheaper price at an online retailer. For someone like me that has like five different EV chargers at the house already, that makes sense, but as a first-time EV buyer, it adds significant complexity to getting an EV. Throwing in a\u00a0$200 charge cable<\/a>\u00a0would make a lot of sense<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

I know a lot of owners just like to carry the mobile connector in the car at all time in order to get a trickle charge somewhere if need be.<\/p>\n

What do you think? Is Tesla being greedy here or is it a good move? Let us know what you think in the comment section below.<\/p>\n

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