Tesla cuts charging cable from its EVs

Tesla owners must now pay extra for an item that should arguably be included with the purchase of any new electric vehicle: a standard three-pin charging cable that allows you to plug in to a domestic power socket.

After being hit with fresh price hikes for the just-launched 2022 Tesla Model Y as well as the Tesla Model 3 – the latter receiving its third increase this year alone – Australian buyers must now pay another $550 to not only have the ability to home-charge but to have the security of knowing they can access power away from home if there isn’t a Tesla Supercharger outlet nearby.

The deletion of the charging cable was orchestrated by Tesla boss Elon Musk, who in a Twitter post described it as “wasteful” to include a mobile connector with every EV.

He also cited “super low” usage statistics as a further reason behind the move.

“Based on feedback received, we will drop mobile connector price to $US200 and make it easy to order with car,” said Musk on Twitter.

But plenty of Musk’s social media followers disagree with the omission, calling it a “disappointing move” and describing the cable as “a necessity” for those without access to the brand’s proprietary fast-charging network.

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