Tesla whips out $750 J1772-to-Roadster charging adapter

Purchasing a $750 cable that measures all of four feet might seem ridiculous, but Tesla Roadster owners will probably have to fork over the dough. At least, they will if they want an automaker-supported device that enables charging of their $109,000-plus electric Roadster at all J1772-compliant public stations.

Since the Roadster was developed and launched before the J1772 connector was standardized in 2009, Tesla had to develop its own technology. Tesla's newly-launched J1772-to-Roadster charging adapter consists of a J1772-compliant connector on one end and a Roadster-compliant setup on the other. While the adapter is capable of supporting charging at up to 70 amps, most public-use Level 2 stations crank out a maximum of 32 amps. At that amperage, the Roadster will recharge in approximately 7.5 hours, according to Tesla. The electric automaker describes the purpose of the adapter like this:

The J1772 Mobile Connector is ideal for road trips or charging at SAE J1772-compliant charging stations. The J1772 Mobile Connector is a bridge between the Roadster's charge port and the SAE J1772 style charging connector. Store the J1772 Mobile Connector in the trunk for road trips, and enjoy the freedom of plugging your Roadster into any SAE J1772 compatible charging location.

Apparently, freedom has a price tag and, in this case, it's $750. It's popular, too. The J1772 Mobile Connector is already on temporary backorder.

[Source: Tesla Motors]