Can you get a cigarette lighter in your new car? Sort of. It’s complicated.
As drivers (and folks in general) have broken the nicotine habit, carmakers have worried less about making ashtrays and lighters available in their vehicles. And for most folks, this is just fine, as the space once dedicated to smokes and ashes has found use in the form of higher-demand drink holders and cell-phone chargers.
Can I Still Get a Cigarette Lighter in My Car?
How many folks still smoke?
Manufacturers also stopped offering cigarette lighters in their vehicles because of the fire risk and related liability.
For the record, here’s a look at how much of the population still smokes on a regular basis:
- United States: About 10 percent
- Japan: About 15 percent
- China: 15 percent
- Europe: 15-25 percent, depending on country
These numbers are down considerably in just the past 20 years.
Disappearing Cigarette Lighters
Thus, new-car “lighters” are almost never equipped with the heating element once common in our parents’ cars. Those largely disappeared in the late 1990s to early 2000s as smoking rates declined.
12-Volt Power Outlet
What remains is the “12-volt” power outlet in which the lighter heating element was once located. These are now typically labeled as “Accessory Outlet,” or something similar. Devices and tools that make use of the 12-volt outlets include phone chargers, dash cams, air compressors, and coolers.
That said, many new models (especially small cars, electric vehicles, and cheaper offerings) have lost the 12-volt socket entirely in favor of USB ports. Interestingly 120-volt AC outlets remain relatively common.
Smoker’s Package
Some carmakers offer a “smoker’s package” which includes, among other things, an actually heat element for the 12-volt port, allowing for the lighting of cigarettes.
Included in the package are:
Cigarette Lighter
A functional cigarette lighter element instead of just a plain 12-volt outlet with a plastic cap.
Ash Trays
Usually a front ashtray and sometimes additional rear ashtrays in the door panels. Without the package, these areas may have storage covers or trays instead.
The BMW package runs about $50, and can be ordered via any brand dealership. Most European brands offer similar packages, as does General Motors, though the latter only for older models.
CG Says:
You can still get a traditional 12-volt power outlet in nearly any new car, though the cigarette lighter that was once the basis for these outlets is long gone. As for an actual cigarette lighter, they’re available from certain makers for certain models, but you will have order yours as an aftermarket accessory.
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BMW Smoker’s Package Pictures
(Click below for enlarged images)
