Photo: Ford
Last year, Tesla convinced almost all carmakers to adopt the NACS charging connector while granting EV drivers access to the Supercharger network. Many wondered how that differed from charging at Superchargers equipped with Magic Dock adapters. Now we know the new deals could enable charging without a Tesla account.
Tesla began opening up the Supercharger network to third-party electric vehicles in Europe sometime in 2021 as part of a pilot program. The pilot was gradually expanded to new countries throughout Europe before reaching the US shores in March 2023. It started in Europe because Tesla Superchargers use the same CCS-2 connector as other charging stations on the Old Continent. In the US, Tesla had to design an NACS to CCS adapter called Magic Dock.
The Magic Dock deploys with the cable when a non-Tesla EV initiates charging but remains docked in normal operation with Tesla cars. To access the Supercharger network, owners of other EV brands still need to open a Tesla account and use the Tesla app. This is not much different for them than using any third-party charging network. For people not owning a Tesla, every charging network has its app for which you need an account, so the Tesla app was just another one in their portfolio.
Things are different for Ford EV owners since the carmaker was clever enough to aggregate other networks into its "BlueOval Charging Network." This virtual network allows single-account access to stations from Electrify America, EVgo, Blink, and other providers. The approach also allows Ford more flexibility in offering access to the Tesla Supercharger network for its owners. Ford added Tesla's network to the BlueOval Charging Network, allowing customers to charge without entering new credentials in the Tesla app.
This way, Ford owners can use their FordPass payment account or the in-vehicle touchscreen to pay for charging. This means you should be able to locate and activate Tesla Superchargers from your Ford EV's infotainment system. That's a significant difference between the NACS deals and using the Magic Dock at a Supercharger station.
So far, only Ford confirmed Supercharger access without a Tesla app or account. Ford was also the first to strike a deal with Tesla and the first to start shipping a free NACS adapter to owners of its EVs. Hopefully, other EV makers will be able to offer a similar experience to their customers. This depends on every carmaker's implementation of Tesla API, so your mileage may vary.
Rivian owners are already looking at Ford's approach and hope for a similar treatment, although there's no guarantee. Rivian could opt for using the Plug&Charge feature, although it's unclear whether this works with Tesla Superchargers. The EV startup hasn't communicated much on this besides the original deal in June 2023 and the promise of a complimentary NACS adapter to its customers.
The Magic Dock deploys with the cable when a non-Tesla EV initiates charging but remains docked in normal operation with Tesla cars. To access the Supercharger network, owners of other EV brands still need to open a Tesla account and use the Tesla app. This is not much different for them than using any third-party charging network. For people not owning a Tesla, every charging network has its app for which you need an account, so the Tesla app was just another one in their portfolio.
Things are different for Ford EV owners since the carmaker was clever enough to aggregate other networks into its "BlueOval Charging Network." This virtual network allows single-account access to stations from Electrify America, EVgo, Blink, and other providers. The approach also allows Ford more flexibility in offering access to the Tesla Supercharger network for its owners. Ford added Tesla's network to the BlueOval Charging Network, allowing customers to charge without entering new credentials in the Tesla app.
This way, Ford owners can use their FordPass payment account or the in-vehicle touchscreen to pay for charging. This means you should be able to locate and activate Tesla Superchargers from your Ford EV's infotainment system. That's a significant difference between the NACS deals and using the Magic Dock at a Supercharger station.
So far, only Ford confirmed Supercharger access without a Tesla app or account. Ford was also the first to strike a deal with Tesla and the first to start shipping a free NACS adapter to owners of its EVs. Hopefully, other EV makers will be able to offer a similar experience to their customers. This depends on every carmaker's implementation of Tesla API, so your mileage may vary.
Rivian owners are already looking at Ford's approach and hope for a similar treatment, although there's no guarantee. Rivian could opt for using the Plug&Charge feature, although it's unclear whether this works with Tesla Superchargers. The EV startup hasn't communicated much on this besides the original deal in June 2023 and the promise of a complimentary NACS adapter to its customers.
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