- Ford’s access to the Tesla Supercharger network has officially begun, and in response, Ford is supplying owners with a new charging adapter for their vehicles so they can charge using Tesla’s NACS plug.
- Owners of 2021 through 2024 model Ford EVs can order the charging adapter from Ford for free between now and June 30, 2024. Starting July 1, customers must buy the adapter from Ford for $230.
- Ford’s next generation of EVs will come equipped with NACS plugs from the factory, allowing them to use Superchargers natively.
Tesla has allowed owners of non-Tesla EVs access to its expansive Supercharger network for months now—but until recently, charging was possible only at a limited number of Supercharging stations that have built-in adapters to be able to connect. As of last week, Ford EVs are able to charge anywhere in Tesla’s entire Supercharger network, thanks to a new adapter the EV owner will carry. At Ford’s invitation, we headed to a nearby Supercharger station to try the process for ourselves.
Ultimately, the demonstration had no surprises, but that’s actually a good thing. After all, charging your car shouldn’t be an exciting or confusing affair. We did, however, learn a few things worth noting, such as the adapter requiring an order of operations for safety. Each adapter has a locking pin in place to prevent EV owners from accidentally removing the Supercharger plug without also removing the adapter. That means initiating a charge requires first plugging the Supercharger cable into the adapter before plugging the connected unit into the vehicle.
$230 Beginning July 1
To receive the adapter, new and existing owners of Ford EVs can order the charging adapter for free from now until June 30, through the FordPass app. After June 30, the adapter will cost owners $230. Ford’s next generation of EVs is set to come equipped with NACS outlets from the factory, meaning they’ll be able to use Superchargers natively.
The adapter is rated for a max current of 500 amps and a max voltage of 1000 volts of direct current, the same as a CCS2 charger, meaning that each of Ford’s EVs (Mach-E, F-150 Lightning, and E-Transit) won’t be held back by the adapter in achieving their maximum charging speeds at Supercharger stations.
As for billing, part of what makes the Supercharger network so easy to use is the seamless plug-and-charge feature. According to Ford, payment at Superchargers will be just as seamless for Ford owners, with the software utilizing the owner’s payment information stored in their FordPro app. Unlike when using Tesla’s built in “Magic Dock” adapters, there’s no Tesla app necessary.
The easiest way for owners to find the Superchargers will be through Ford’s native navigation system, or through the FordPass app. According to Ford, the systems will filter out ineligible chargers and spot the ones that require the adapter. According to Ford, the addition of the Supercharger network to its own Blue Oval charging network adds roughly 15,300 chargers, more than doubling the available fast-chargers for Ford EV owners. Though Ford is the first manufacturer to officially join the Supercharger network, nearly every major automaker has vowed to do so in the coming years, with many gaining similar access via an adapter soon and adding the NACS plugs to their electric vehicles some time in 2025.
Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.