Many words have been written these past few years about the poor state of the US’s DC fast-charging infrastructure. EV drivers of all stripes have horror stories about inscrutable charger errors, out-of-order stations, and hours-long delays to road trips… except Tesla drivers, who have access to an expansive DC fast-charging network that seems to just work.
Now, those Tesla drivers will have to share their toys. From spring 2024, Ford EVs will be able to charge at Superchargers using a Tesla-designed adapter. Payment will be handled through the FordPass app. And from 2025, new Ford EVs will be designed with the NACS port —whether this is instead of CCS or in addition to it appears unclear. “The Tesla Supercharger network has excellent reliability, and the NACS plug is smaller and lighter. Overall, this provides a superior experience for customers,” said Marin Gjaja, chief customer officer at Ford Model e.
This is not the only move to open the Supercharger network to other EVs. In March, Tesla unveiled a new Supercharger for the US market that includes a CCS plug, allowing it to be used by non-Tesla EVs. It also gives Tesla access to federal funds for charging infrastructure that requires the infrastructure to be accessible to the widest range of EVs.