United States: Automotive giants Ford and Tesla have announced plans to grant Ford electric vehicle (EV) owners access to Tesla’s extensive EV charging network. The CEOs of both companies have confirmed this groundbreaking partnership, which aims to enhance the charging infrastructure and convenience for Ford EV owners.
Starting next year, Ford electric vehicle (EV) owners in the United States will have the convenience of utilizing Tesla’s extensive network of 12,000 Supercharger stations through Ford’s mobile app. These stations, renowned for their rapid charging capabilities, will be easily accessible to Ford EV owners, enhancing their charging options and making electric vehicle usage more convenient.
On a Twitter Spaces livestream held on 25th May 2023, Ford’s CEO Mr. Jim Farley and Tesla’s CEO Mr. Elon Musk unveiled a groundbreaking partnership between the two companies. Notably, Mr. Musk, who is also the CEO and proprietor of Twitter, joined the conversation to announce this collaboration.
During the announcement, Mr. Farley revealed that Ford’s upcoming generation of electric vehicles (EVs) will feature charging ports inspired by Tesla’s design, diverging from the widely used CCS chargers employed by most other EV manufacturers like General Motors, Audi, and Rivian. This decision comes as Tesla’s extensive network of charging stations surpasses the number of CCS stations available across the United States, emphasizing the aim to provide Ford EV owners with broader charging accessibility.
To address the growing concern over the lack of charging infrastructure in various regions of the United States, especially along long stretches of highways, Ford has taken a significant step forward. In order to make electric vehicles a more viable option for American consumers, Ford will enable existing Ford electric vehicles to access Tesla’s Superchargers through the use of an adapter.
The urgency to resolve this issue has been amplified by the actions of several states, including California and New York, which have passed bills to restrict the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by the year 2035. As a result, the push for electric vehicle adoption has become a prominent agenda for these states.
In a bid to encourage collaboration and expand the charging network, Mr. Musk, extended an invitation to other electric vehicle manufacturers to utilize Tesla’s charging ports. Ford has become the first major automaker to embrace Musk’s proposition and integrate Tesla’s charging ports into their vehicles, setting a notable precedent for the industry.