The Biden administration has been working to promote electric vehicle (EV) adoption and reduce carbon emissions since taking office. In February of this year, the administration unveiled a $5 billion plan to expand EV charging infrastructure across the country. Along with state assistance, the government sought to build 500,000 EV charging stations by 2030.
The White House also secured a significant victory when it convinced Tesla to share a portion of its existing Supercharger network with non-Tesla EVs. This collaboration with Tesla has attracted interest from other automakers, and on Thursday, Ford became the first to formalize the partnership with Tesla. During a Twitter Spaces event, Ford disclosed that its EV customers would have access to more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers across the United States and Canada, starting in Spring 2024.
The partnership requires an initial reliance on a Tesla-developed adapter, connected to the public charging cable, for Ford owners to recharge their EVs, as Teslas use a proprietary charger port design that only works with its chargers. However, Ford also announced plans to shift to Tesla’s now open-source NACS charge port, replacing the existing Combined Charging System (CCS) port, beginning in the 2025 model year.
“We are incredibly excited to work with Ford to provide Tesla owners extra charging options and to expand EV adoption by providing access to our network,” a Tesla spokesperson said in a statement. “We believe that EV owners should have access to convenient charging everywhere they go.”
This collaboration marks a significant step in the evolution of EVs in the United States. With more automakers adopting EVs, infrastructure and charging options will be critical for widespread adoption. One of the major concerns for prospective EV buyers is the availability of charging infrastructure, which has been one of the key reasons for limited EV adoption.
Ford’s partnership with Tesla means that Ford EV owners can access an extensive network of EV charging stations, beyond Ford’s 84,000-strong Blue Oval charging station network. Marin Gjaja, chief customer officer of Ford Model e, praised Tesla’s reliability and the now open-source NACS plug, calling it “smaller and lighter” and providing a “superior experience for customers.”
Moreover, the partnership will benefit Tesla by expanding the use of its Superchargers further, given the limited number of Teslas in the market. The more non-Tesla EV owners who use the Superchargers, the more valuable the network will become to all EV owners.
This move by Ford could prompt other automakers to follow suit, potentially leading to a more comprehensive and reliable network of EV charging stations. This partnership is in line with the Biden administration’s push toward clean energy, which includes promoting EV adoption and reducing carbon emissions by 2030.
In conclusion, the collaboration between Ford and Tesla is a significant development for the EV industry. By providing Ford EV owners access to Tesla’s Supercharger network, this partnership addresses one of the primary concerns for EV adoption. Furthermore, as more automakers seek to compete in the growing EV market, the improvement of EV charging infrastructure will become increasingly vital. This partnership could potentially lead to a more comprehensive and reliable network of EV charging stations, further promoting the adoption of EVs in the United States.
