Rival automakers Ford and Tesla revealed a surprising new strategic partnership that could permanently change electric vehicle charging infrastructure for drivers.
In a joint announcement on May 25, Ford CEO Jim Farley and Tesla CEO Elon Musk discussed an agreement allowing current Ford owners access to Tesla’s network of 12,000 superchargers. This integration means that Ford EVs fitted with the Combined Charging System (CCS) port will have direct access to Tesla’s V3 Superchargers with the use of an adapter as early as next year.
Farley called the agreement “a huge move for our industry and for all electric customers” and expressed the company’s unwavering commitment to a unified U.S. charging protocol that incorporates Tesla’s plug port, also known as North American Charging Standard (NACS). In the future, all Ford vehicles from 2025 onward will come equipped with the NACS charge port, eliminating the need for additional adapters.
This collaboration follows Tesla’s previous discussions about opening its private network to other EVs. In a significant development, the White House revealed in February that Tesla pledged to make 7,500 charging stations available to non-Tesla EV drivers by the end of 2024. Previously, Tesla’s chargers in the United States were predominantly tailored for their own EV models.
Musk echoed these sentiments during the announcement stating, “We don’t want the Tesla supercharger app to be like a walled garden.”
Now, with Ford on board, the horizon for charging accessibility is expanding exponentially.
It’s important to note that Ford EV owners will still have the flexibility of utilizing other charging networks. While specific details are being finalized, customers can activate and pay for charging services through the FordPass app.
