Ford EV Drivers Can Now Use Tesla Superchargers
The cookie is starting to crumble — the cookie being that oh-so-sweet Supercharger network Tesla owners have enjoyed exclusive access to for more than a decade. When Tesla announced in early 2023 that it would make its DC fast chargers available to electric vehicles from other brands, Ford was the first company to sign up. Within a year, every single automaker in the U.S.— including those not currently selling any EVs here — reached a similar agreement. And as of today, Ford drivers are the first to enjoy an immediate and tremendous jump in the number of charging locations available to them.
Related: Ford EV Owners to Gain Access to Tesla’s Supercharger Network
Network Expansion for Beginners
According to Ford, its BlueOval Charge Network now includes some 126,000 chargers, including more than 28,000 DC fast chargers. While the White House counted more than 165,000 public charging ports in the country as of December 2023, public charging can be tricky. Most chargers do not have credit card readers; instead, each charging network uses its own app, in which owners must register their vehicle and payment information. Automaker apps like the FordPass app integrate multiple networks’ operations in one interface, which also allows those chargers to be found through a vehicle’s navigation system.
As Tesla uses a proprietary plug to connect to a different on-vehicle port than other automakers, current Ford EV drivers will need an adapter to use Tesla chargers. Current owners and those who purchase before June 30 can receive a free adapter from Ford online; after June 30, the adapter will cost $230 (including tax and shipping). As with the rest of the automakers that signed similar agreements giving their EVs access to the Tesla charging network, Ford will eventually begin manufacturing its vehicles with the Tesla charging port, rendering the adapter unnecessary.
Standard Disclaimers Apply
Not all of Tesla’s Superchargers are open to EVs from other brands, and not all Tesla chargers that are open to other brands are Superchargers. Superchargers are DC fast chargers, capable of adding multiple miles of range per minute, but Tesla also maintains a network of Level 2 chargers. These so-called destination chargers are similar to what most EV drivers install for home charging. Frequently located where people work and shop, as well as hotels, they can replenish range at a rate of a mile every few minutes.
In response to 2021’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — and in order to lay claim to a portion of the $7.5 billion in federal funding earmarked for manufacturing and installing public chargers — Tesla agreed to open 7,500 charging stations to other makes. (Note that a charging station typically includes multiple charge points, just like a gas station usually has more than one gas pump.) The exact split between Superchargers and Level 2 destination chargers isn’t known, but Ford says its customers will gain access to more than 15,000 Superchargers across the U.S. and Canada, more than doubling the number of DC fast chargers available to them.
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- When Will All Fast-Charging Stations Be Open to All EVs?
- How Long Does It Take to Charge an Electric Car?
- How Much Do Electric Car Charging Stations Cost?
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