Ford has announced that its electric vehicles (EVs) will soon have access to Tesla’s Supercharger network, starting in early 2024. Under the partnership, Ford EVs will be able to access Tesla’s 12,000 Superchargers across the US and Canada, in addition to the 10,000 DC fast-chargers already available on Ford’s BlueOval Charge network. Buyers of Ford’s Gen 2 EVs will have a North American Charging Standard connector built into the vehicle, allowing them to use Tesla’s Superchargers without an adapter. The partnership was announced by Ford CEO Jim Farley and Tesla CEO Elon Musk in a joint Twitter Spaces call.[0]
The move is a significant one, as access to fast-charging networks is seen as crucial to the adoption of EVs.[1] Tesla’s Supercharger network is already the largest in America, and the partnership with Ford will expand the network’s reach. However, there may be a cost implication for Ford owners, as in some regions Tesla has charged non-Tesla EV owners more to use its charging stations.[2] It is unclear whether Ford has negotiated a special deal with Tesla to avoid these extra costs.[3]
Despite this, the partnership is a smart move for Ford, as it provides a significant benefit to its customers for the small cost of a hardware adapter.[4] Tesla’s charging network is considered one of the most reliable and widespread in America, and the company is the largest EV manufacturer in the world. Ford’s partnership with Tesla also marks the first time the network has been opened to an entire brand of cars nationwide, rather than just to all EVs within a small geographical region.[3]
The announcement comes as part of a wider push to improve public EV charging in the US. The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation recently announced the formation of the National Charging Experience Consortium (ChargeX Consortium), which aims to improve public EV charging reliability and usability by June 2025.[5] The consortium will focus on improving vehicle-charger communication, as well as diagnostic data sharing and the issue of different payment systems and apps that don’t talk to each other.[6]
Ford has also called for Tesla’s NACS plug to become the US charging standard, as it is considered to be slimmer and lighter than the CCS plug that is currently used.[7] If other automakers or charging companies decide to pivot to NACS, this could leave the US charging landscape with a clear winner.[8] Tesla’s NACS plug and cable are slimmer and lighter than a CCS’s, potentially making it a more attractive option for EV manufacturers.[9]
0. “Musk Uses Spaces to Announce a Big Deal With Ford” The Capital Journal, 25 May. 2023, https://www.capjournal.com/arena/finance/musk-uses-spaces-to-announce-a-big-deal-with-ford/article_6e929041-3cc5-5778-8149-1d976ed225bb.html
1. “Ford EVs Will Be Able To Charge At 12,000+ Tesla Superchargers Starting In 2024” CarScoops, 25 May. 2023, https://www.carscoops.com/2023/05/ford-evs-will-be-able-to-charge-at-tesla-superchargers-starting-in-2024
2. “Ford EV models will be first to plug into Tesla’s superchargers” Quartz, 26 May. 2023, https://qz.com/ford-ev-models-tesla-supercharger-us-canada-network-1850478479
3. “Ford’s New EVs Will Get Tesla’s Plug For Supercharger Access From 2024” SlashGear, 26 May. 2023, https://www.slashgear.com/1297193/ford-ev-tesla-superchargers-support-2024/
4. “Tesla superchargers open to Ford EV owners in new partnership” Axios, 26 May. 2023, https://www.axios.com/2023/05/25/ford-ev-tesla-supercharger-electric-vehicles
5. “ChargeX is a new group that’s going to improve US public EV chargers – here’s how” Electrek, 19 May. 2023, https://electrek.co/2023/05/19/chargex-us-public-ev-chargers
6. “Will EV Charger Reliability Ever Reach Gas Station Levels?” Autoweek, 23 May. 2023, https://www.autoweek.com/news/green-cars/a43975505/ev-charger-reliability-consortium
7. “Ford to Add Tesla Charge Ports to its EVs in 2025” The Drive, 26 May. 2023, https://www.thedrive.com/news/ford-to-add-tesla-charge-ports-to-its-evs-in-2025
8. “Ford adopts Tesla charge port for future EVs, Supercharger access soon” Green Car Reports, 25 May. 2023, https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1139760_ford-tesla-supercharger-nacs-future-evs
9. “Ford EV drivers will get access to 12,000 North American Tesla Superchargers next spring” Engadget, 25 May. 2023, https://www.engadget.com/ford-ev-drivers-will-get-access-to-12000-north-american-tesla-superchargers-next-spring-221752191.html