EVject, the company that makes breakaway connectors for Tesla Superchargers, has agreed to a recall. The recall comes after Tesla filed a lawsuit against EVject, claiming their connectors posed serious safety risks to owners.
The EVject Escape Connector is promoted as a safety device that enables Tesla owners to drive away from a Supercharger while still plugged in. This is accomplished thanks to the connector which quickly disconnects the charger from the vehicle.
This product is advertised as a protective measure in potentially dangerous situations, such as carjackings or attempted thefts, where a quick escape is required.
In July Tesla filed a lawsuit against EVject, alleging the connector can reach dangerously high temperatures, as high as 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius). Tesla said this was because the connector had no built-in thermal protection.
In response to the lawsuit, EVject is now recalling all of their V1.0 and V1.1 Escape Connectors. In an email sent to customers on Thursday, the company admits these adapters have no thermal protection. However, they say they are not aware of any issues or incidents with the connector.
Despite this, EVject says they “want to be good partners with Tesla,” and at their request are no longer selling the V1.0 and V1.1 connectors.
It is not the end of EVject however, as they are offering customers who have the previous generation adapters a free update to V1.2 of their Escape Connector, which does include built-in thermal protection.
“Therefore, per Tesla’s request, we have discontinued the sale of V1.0 and V1.1 and are offering a complimentary upgrade to EVject Supervised V1.2, which includes built-in thermal protection, and works with all current Tesla charging options and vehicles,” the email reads.
Customers are being asked to return their adapter, after which they will receive a credit to purchase V1.2. However, V1.2 connectors won’t be shipping until “later this year.”
The Escape Connector V1.2 is priced at C$410/US$299.
Here’s a brief video showing the EVject Escape Connector in action.
