【2016 Archives】

Tesla certainly has big ambitions for its sleek all-electric vehicles016 Archives though these plans don't (yet) include wireless chargers.

But, come April, a group of engineers say they will launch a wireless charging pad that fits seamlessly into the Tesla Model 3, the electric vehicle company's first mass-market offering -- and the vehicle the company's future is balanced upon.

Tesla Wireless Pad is marketing their $99 product as something Tesla's chief designer, Franz von Holzhausen, "forgot" to include below the Model 3's touch screen.

Hey @woodhaus2 your design team forgot something on the Model 3. Don't worry, we've got you covered 👍 https://t.co/shKtJJXwPx

— Tesla Wireless Pad (@teslapad) January 31, 2018

According to the site, the charging pad can be installed in three "easy" steps, which involves connecting a USB cable to the dashboard.

Mashable reached out to Tesla for comment about this new accessory, which Tesla had no role in creating. We'll update this story if we hear back.

The pad, according to its makers, will charge any Qi-enabled phone (Qi is the modern standard for charging phones using magnetic induction). Qi-enabled phones include the likes of Apple's iPhone 8, 8 Plus, X and many of the latest Samsung Galaxy Note and Edge models.

The company doesn't make any bold claims about super-fast wireless charging, noting it prefers "to state that the Tesla Wireless Pad should charge your phone as fast as your average charger."

It seems quite unlikely that the wireless charger will have a different or meaningful effect on the Model 3's driving range (up to 310 miles) more than any normal charging would, but Mashable reached out to the creators with some questions, and will update this post upon hearing back.