Photo: Ford
Last May, Ford was the first carmaker to strike a deal with Tesla to adopt NACS and get access to the crown jewel Supercharger network. On Thursday, Ford owners were officially allowed to access Tesla Superchargers without needing a Tesla account or app.
Although Tesla wanted to establish its proprietary charge plug as an industry standard, few people believed it would succeed. Despite the pompous name (North American Charging Standard or NACS), it was thought impossible to convince all carmakers in North America to ditch the established CCS connector and adopt Tesla's standard. And yet, the mirage of the Tesla Supercharger network should never be underestimated. Tesla has built not only the most extensive fast-charging network in the world but also the best.
This is why, one after another, all the major carmakers in North America kissed the ring and joined the party after Ford broke the ice in May 2023. Under the terms of the deal, owners of all EV makes and models would get the same conditions as Tesla owners to access the Supercharger stations. In the first phase, they will get access to over 15,000 Supercharger stations in North America via an adapter. Later, carmakers also vowed to fit their EVs with NACS ports, making the adapter redundant.
While this might be inconvenient for Tesla owners, who might see Supercharger stations invaded by other brands, it's a long-term win for Tesla, carmakers, and electro-mobility. It could also benefit Tesla owners, considering a unified charging connector would allow them to charge at third-party stations in areas with few or no Tesla Superchargers.
Being the first to announce the partnership, Ford also got the honor of being the first to benefit. Starting on February 29, Ford owners can charge their EVs at Supercharger stations across the US and Canada. Until June 30, owners of a Ford Mustang Mach-E or F-150 Lightning can order a complimentary NACS to CCS adapter on Ford's website. After that date, the adapter will be available for purchase at a retail price of $230.
For now, the adapter will only work on selected V3 Superchargers, as Tesla wants to keep certain locations exclusive to its owners. V2 Superchargers and destination chargers are also excluded, but there still are over 15,000 chargers left that Ford owners can access. The adapter is rated for 300 amps, with a maximum of 500 amps supported for up to 10 minutes. This allows charging Ford EVs with the maximum 150 kW of power they support.
The best part is that Tesla Superchargers is Plug & Charge compliant, so no Tesla app or account is needed. Ford Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning owners will just need to plug their car in to initiate a charging session, provided they are already enrolled in Plug & Charge. If they are not, a charging session can also be started from the FordPass app or directly from the car's infotainment screen.
This is why, one after another, all the major carmakers in North America kissed the ring and joined the party after Ford broke the ice in May 2023. Under the terms of the deal, owners of all EV makes and models would get the same conditions as Tesla owners to access the Supercharger stations. In the first phase, they will get access to over 15,000 Supercharger stations in North America via an adapter. Later, carmakers also vowed to fit their EVs with NACS ports, making the adapter redundant.
While this might be inconvenient for Tesla owners, who might see Supercharger stations invaded by other brands, it's a long-term win for Tesla, carmakers, and electro-mobility. It could also benefit Tesla owners, considering a unified charging connector would allow them to charge at third-party stations in areas with few or no Tesla Superchargers.
Being the first to announce the partnership, Ford also got the honor of being the first to benefit. Starting on February 29, Ford owners can charge their EVs at Supercharger stations across the US and Canada. Until June 30, owners of a Ford Mustang Mach-E or F-150 Lightning can order a complimentary NACS to CCS adapter on Ford's website. After that date, the adapter will be available for purchase at a retail price of $230.
For now, the adapter will only work on selected V3 Superchargers, as Tesla wants to keep certain locations exclusive to its owners. V2 Superchargers and destination chargers are also excluded, but there still are over 15,000 chargers left that Ford owners can access. The adapter is rated for 300 amps, with a maximum of 500 amps supported for up to 10 minutes. This allows charging Ford EVs with the maximum 150 kW of power they support.
The best part is that Tesla Superchargers is Plug & Charge compliant, so no Tesla app or account is needed. Ford Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning owners will just need to plug their car in to initiate a charging session, provided they are already enrolled in Plug & Charge. If they are not, a charging session can also be started from the FordPass app or directly from the car's infotainment screen.
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