In a groundbreaking move, Ford and Tesla announced a partnership that will allow Ford electric vehicle (EV) owners to access Tesla’s Supercharger network in the US and Canada from early next year. This marks the first direct partnership between two competing electric vehicle makers. Ford’s next generation of EVs, expected by mid-decade, will use Tesla’s charging plug, allowing owners of Ford vehicles to charge at Tesla Superchargers without an adapter. The NACS plug, which Tesla pioneered in 2012 and renamed in 2022, is smaller and lighter than other charging systems, making it more attractive to automakers.[0] Starting in 2025, Ford will stop building its EVs with traditional Combined Charging System ports, replacing them with the NACS plug, further cementing the standard as the preferred charging setup for EVs.[1] Marin Gjaja, chief customer officer of Ford Model e, said the partnership will benefit customers and overall EV adoption.[2] Tesla CEO Elon Musk also added that he did not want Tesla charging stations to be a “walled garden.”[3] Ford’s stock rose by 6.2% on Friday, while Tesla’s shares climbed 4.7%.[4]
0. “Ford Just Made a Brilliant Move By Embracing Tesla Charging” MotorTrend, 27 May. 2023, https://www.motortrend.com/features/ford-brilliant-move-embracing-tesla-charging-standard/
1. “Ford Will Integrate Tesla’s Charging Ports Into New EVs” Road & Track, 26 May. 2023, https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a44016443/ford-will-integrate-teslas-charging-ports-into-new-evs/
2. “Elon Musk and Ford CEO Jim Farley announce EV collaboration on Twitter Spaces” AdAge.com, 25 May. 2023, https://adage.com/article/marketing-news-strategy/elon-musk-and-ford-ceo-jim-farley-announce-ev-collaboration-twitter-spaces/2497081
3. “Tesla just gave away one of its biggest advantages in EV race” Business Insider, 26 May. 2023, https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-charging-deal-with-ford-gives-away-biggest-advantage-2023-5
4. “Ford’s EV charging deal with Tesla puts pressure on GM, other rival automakers” CNBC, 26 May. 2023, https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/26/ford-tesla-ev-charging-deal-puts-pressure-on-gm.html