Ford Motor is introducing Tesla Supercharging capabilities to its electric vehicle owners in the U.S. and Canada. The rollout commences Thursday but is anticipated to face supply constraints initially.
The Detroit automaker was the first to announce a partnership with Tesla to leverage the EV maker’s Supercharger network. Since then, the majority of automakers in the U.S. have followed suit. Under these agreements, companies like Ford will adopt Tesla’s charging port for forthcoming EV models.
For now, an adapter is necessary to link non-Tesla vehicles, which utilize different charging technologies, to Tesla’s network. Ford asserts that the collaboration will significantly expand access to fast chargers for its owners — although the distribution of adapters to all customers may take some time.
“We are supply-constrained as we move forward, and we do believe in the initial phases of launch demand will exceed supply,” remarked Ken Williams, Ford director of charging and energy services, during a media briefing. “We are going to try to manage that demand on a first-come, first-serve basis.”
Williams declined to disclose the current number of adapters the company has available for its EV customers, who in the U.S. purchased roughly 140,000 EVs from Ford since 2023. Ford stated that the adapters are expected to start shipping to customers in late March.
Tesla, the designer of the adapter responsible for its distribution to automakers, did not respond to a request for comment on specifics.
Fast chargers can add hundreds of miles of driving range in an hour or less, depending on the vehicle, in contrast to less powerful chargers that may require hours, if not more, to achieve the same result.
In the past year, automakers have begun to adopt Tesla’s charging technology, either in place of or in addition to constructing their charging infrastructure, recognizing the value of accessing Tesla’s extensive charging network.
According to a spokesperson for the Detroit automaker, Ford is not incurring any costs or generating revenue from utilizing the Tesla Supercharger network.
For Ford customers, current owners of Ford F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E vehicles can reserve a complimentary charging adapter through Ford’s owner app or at Ford.com/FastChargingAdapter until June 30, the company announced. Following this period, the adapters will be available for purchase at $230 each.
To reserve an adapter, customers need to visit the website and either login or sign up for Ford’s “BlueOval Charge Network” via its FordPass App. Customers who have not yet enrolled in the BlueOval Charge Network will be prompted to do so before placing their order for the fast-charging adapter. Adapters will be dispatched based on reservations, and some customers may encounter an undisclosed waiting period depending on their registration timing.
Ford owners will have the convenience of utilizing the Tesla charger through either the FordPass App or the Charge Assist App directly accessible from the vehicle’s touchscreen, eliminating the necessity for onsite credit card transactions. Additionally, they will have the option to utilize Tesla’s app for charging purposes.
To connect to Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) system, an adapter is required for what is known as a Combined Charging System (CCS) charger port, which serves as the U.S. industry standard. As per the Ford-Tesla agreement, Ford affirms that starting Thursday, owners will gain access to over 15,000 Tesla Superchargers spread across the United States and Canada.
While Tesla claims to have over 50,000 Supercharger connectors globally, the specific number in the United States is not disclosed by the company. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, there are approximately 6,900 publicly available CCS fast chargers in the country.
With the inclusion of Tesla Superchargers, Ford asserts that its BlueOval Charge Network customers now have access to a total of more than 126,000 chargers, including more than 28,000 fast chargers.
