Ford electric vehicle owners now have access to more than 15,000 Tesla superchargers in the US and Canada, nine months after the two automakers struck a deal that would eventually ripple through the rest of the auto industry.
New and existing Ford EV owners can get a free adapter to access Tesla’s fast charging stations, but they must join Ford’s BlueOval Charge Network and order the adapter by June 30, 2024 at Ford.com/FastChargingAdapter. Future Ford EV customers will be able to purchase the adapter for $230.
Less than a year ago, every automaker and EV charging company operating in the United States was using the Combined Charging System (CCS). Tesla was first with its own proprietary plugs and connectors, and network of thousands of so-called “Superchargers” located along interstates, highways and other major corridors. The charging socket on all Tesla vehicles offers AC charging and DC charging up to 1 MW. Its compact design and performance are considered superior to the combined charging system slots.
Tesla took the step in November 2022 for automakers to adopt its charging standard — a move that initially seemed to have little hope of wooing the company’s rivals. Tesla shared the design of its EV charging socket and encouraged network operators and automakers to adopt the technology and help it become the new standard in North America. He even called it the North American Charging Standard (NACS) and argued that based on Tesla vehicle sales and the number of chargers at branded Supercharging stations, it was the most common charging standard in North America.
Six months later, Ford announced a deal that would give owners of Ford electric vehicles access to Tesla superchargers. However, this deal went far beyond providing access to Tesla’s superchargers via an adapter. Ford also plans to equip next-generation EVs with Tesla’s charging port starting in 2025. Ford’s second-generation electric vehicles include an electric truck and a three-row SUV.
Ford soon joined GM in adopting Tesla’s charging technology. In the months since, third-party EV charging companies and other automakers, including Hyundai and Kia, Toyota, VW Group brands such as Porsche, Audi and Volkswagen, and finally, Stellantis.
Within nine months every major automaker that sells vehicles in the United States agreed to Tesla’s charging standard, with many pledging to incorporate the technology into their next-generation vehicles.
Ford will provide the first test of how this adoption will shake out. Tesla owners have long enjoyed exclusive access to the network, and the newcomers may put pressure on an already popular charging network.
Ford executives were quick to note in a briefing with reporters that not every Tesla Supercharger will be accessible to Ford owners. And the automaker is taking steps to educate Ford customers how to find, access and use the superchargers with the same ease that Tesla owners are used to. Ford said a future software update will allow owners to find Tesla Superchargers through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto — the technology that allows drivers to project their smartphones onto a car’s infotainment system — as well as Ford’s built-in navigation.
The ability for Tesla owners to park and plug in without worrying about using a credit card or app to pay for power is one of the key things that differentiates it from its competitors. Ford’s solution is for customers who have registered for the BlueOval Charge Network to pay via the FordPass app or a Charging assistance application on the vehicle touch screen.
