Ford reaches agreement with Tesla to use its charging stations

Ford Motor Company announced a historic agreement with Tesla Motors that will give its electric vehicle customers access to more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers in the United States and Canada, starting in spring 2024. The agreement also includes that Ford adopts Tesla’s exclusive charging port for its future electric vehicles. , from 2025.

The deal is a major boost for Ford, which is betting big on electric vehicles with its popular Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning models, as well as its upcoming E-Transit minivan. By having access to Tesla Superchargers, Ford EV customers will enjoy unprecedented charging convenience and confidence, with the Tesla network widely considered the most reliable and efficient in the industry.

“This is great news for our customers who will have unprecedented access to the largest fast charger network in the United States and Canada, with more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers and more than 10,000 fast chargers already in the network BlueOval charging system,” said Jim Farley, Ford. president and CEO. “Widespread access to fast charging is absolutely vital to our growth as an electric vehicle brand, and this groundbreaking agreement comes as we ramp up production of our popular Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning and expand. Let’s prepare to launch a series of upcoming electric vehicles. Second generation EV from 2025.”

A win-win for Ford and Tesla

The deal is also a victory for Tesla, which has been open about its mission to make its charging port the national standard for electric vehicles in North America. In November 2022, Tesla released manufacturing specifications for its port, which it calls the North American Charging Standard (NACS), and invited other automakers to adopt them. Ford is the first major automaker to accept Tesla’s offer.

“Tesla has led the industry in creating a large-scale, reliable and efficient charging system and we are pleased to be able to join forces in a way that benefits customers and the overall adoption of electric vehicles,” said Marin Gjaja, chief customer officer of Ford Model e, the brand’s electric vehicle business.

Tesla says 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 outlet is smaller and lighter. Overall, this provides a superior experience for customers.

Adapter or matrix

To access Tesla Superchargers, Ford EV customers will need to purchase a Tesla-developed adapter that will connect their CCS-equipped vehicles to the Superchargers’ NACS port. The adapter will be available early next year, along with software integration, activation and payment through the FordPass or Ford Pro Intelligence apps. In 2025, Ford will eliminate the need for an adapter by offering next-generation electric vehicles with the NACS port integrated.

“We have spent the last 10 years building a cutting-edge charging network that enables the freedom to travel and gives our Tesla owners confidence in charging,” said Rebecca Tinucci, senior director of charging infrastructure at Tesla. “We are excited to fulfill our mission to accelerate the global transition to sustainable energy by welcoming owners of Ford and other electric vehicles who adopt NACS to our thousands of Superchargers across North America.