Ford Motor Company has announced a landmark agreement with Tesla Motors that will allow its electric vehicle customers to access more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers across the U.S. and Canada, starting in Spring 2024. The deal also includes Ford adopting Tesla’s proprietary charging port for its future EVs, starting in 2025.
The agreement is a major boost for Ford, which is betting big on electric vehicles with its popular Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning models, and its upcoming E-Transit van. By gaining access to Tesla’s Superchargers, Ford EV customers will have unprecedented charging convenience and confidence, as the Tesla network is widely regarded as the most reliable and efficient in the industry.
“This is great news for our customers who will have unprecedented access to the largest network of fast-chargers in the U.S. and Canada with 12,000+ Tesla Superchargers plus 10,000+ fast-chargers already in the BlueOval Charge Network,” said Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO. “Widespread access to fast-charging is absolutely vital to our growth as an EV brand, and this breakthrough agreement comes as we are ramping up production of our popular Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning, and preparing to launch a series of next-generation EVs starting in 2025.”
A win-win for Ford and Tesla
The deal is also a win for Tesla, which has been open about its mission to make its charging port the national standard for EVs in North America. In November 2022, Tesla published the manufacturing specifications for its port, which it calls the North American Charging Standard (NACS), and invited other automakers to adopt it. Ford is the first major automaker to take Tesla up on the offer.
“Tesla has led the industry in creating a large, reliable and efficient charging system and we are pleased to be able to join forces in a way that benefits customers and overall EV adoption,” said Marin Gjaja, chief customer officer for Ford Model e, the brand’s EV-focused business.
Tesla claims that its port design offers several advantages over the current global standard for non-Teslas, known as the Combined Charging System (CCS) port. According to Tesla, the NACS port is smaller, lighter, easier to use, and more reliable than the CCS port. Ford agrees: “The Tesla Supercharger network has excellent reliability and the NACS plug is smaller and lighter. Overall, this provides a superior experience for customers.
Adaptor or die
To access the Tesla Superchargers, Ford EV customers will need to purchase a Tesla-developed adapter that will connect their CCS-equipped vehicles to the NACS port on the Superchargers. The adapter will be available early next year, along with software integration and activation and payment via FordPass or Ford Pro Intelligence apps. In 2025, Ford will eliminate the need for an adapter by offering next-generation EVs with the NACS port built-in.
“We’ve spent the last 10 years building an industry-leading charging network that enables freedom to travel and provides charging confidence for our Tesla owners,” said Rebecca Tinucci, Tesla’s senior director of charging infrastructure. “We’re excited to deliver on our mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy by welcoming Ford owners, and other electric vehicles who adopt NACS, to our thousands of Superchargers across North America.”
