Ford Offers Tesla Supercharging Capabilities to Electric Vehicle Owners in the U.S. and Canada
Ford Motor is expanding charging options for owners of its electric vehicles by providing access to Tesla Superchargers in the United States and Canada. While the launch begins this week, supply constraints may affect availability in the initial stages. Ford’s partnership with Tesla allows the adoption of Tesla’s charging port for future EV models. In the meantime, customers will require an adapter to connect non-Tesla vehicles to the Supercharger network. Ford plans to double its owners’ access to fast chargers, but distribution of the adapters may take some time. The company will manage demand on a first-come, first-serve basis as initial demand is expected to exceed supply. The adapters will be shipped to customers in late March.
Fast chargers can add hundreds of miles of driving range in less than an hour, making them significantly faster than less powerful chargers. Automakers have been adopting Tesla’s charging technology to gain access to its extensive charging network, instead of building their own chargers or waiting for the government to do so. Ford is not paying Tesla for access to the Supercharger network.
Ford Customers
Current Ford F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E retail customers can reserve a free charging adapter through Ford’s owner app or at Ford.com/FastChargingAdapter until June 30. After that, the adapters will cost $230 each. Customers need to log in or enroll in Ford’s “BlueOval Charge Network” through the FordPass App to reserve an adapter. Shipping will be based on reservations, and some customers may experience a wait depending on when they register.
Ford owners will be able to use the Tesla charger through the FordPass App, eliminating the need for on-site credit card use. The adapter is needed to connect a Combined Charging System (CCS) charger port to Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) system. With this agreement, Ford owners will have access to over 15,000 Tesla Superchargers across the U.S. and Canada. Tesla has over 50,000 Supercharger connectors worldwide, and the U.S. Department of Energy reports that there are about 6,900 publicly available CCS fast chargers in the United States. With the addition of Tesla Superchargers, Ford’s BlueOval Charge Network customers will have access to over 126,000 chargers, including over 28,000 fast chargers.