- Ford said last year that it would hand over free Tesla adapters to its EV customers to improve charging access.
- The Tesla Supercharger network is the largest and the most reliable charging option for EV drivers in the U.S.
- Don’t worry if you missed out on the offer. You can still get an adapter. It’s just not free anymore.
Road-tripping in an electric Ford is getting simpler by the day. A growing number of Ford EVs now have access to over 20,000 Tesla Superchargers across the U.S. It all started with a free adapter program, which Ford promised to its EV customers last year for a limited time. A year and a few roadblocks later, it has delivered on that promise.
The automaker announced on Tuesday that it had shipped 140,000 complimentary Tesla charging adapters to its customers. These adapters allow EV owners to use tens of thousands of additional fast-charging ports from the Tesla Supercharger network. Those who couldn’t order the free adapters can still get one, but it’s not free anymore. It’s available on Ford’s website for $200.
Photo by: Ford
All Ford EVs currently on sale, the Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning and the E-Transit van, are compatible with the adapter. They already have access to the growing network of chargers with CCS connectors from companies like Electrify America, EVgo, and ChargePoint. Now with access to Tesla Superchargers, Ford EVs can charge at over 44,000 chargers nationwide combined.
This has also improved the frequency of chargers along highways. Ford said its customers have access to a fast charger every 18 miles on most major highways. That’s good news for road trippers and should help quell range anxiety. Usage of Tesla Superchargers among Ford EV owners is also at an all-time high. About 20% of all charging done away from home in February was at Tesla Superchargers, so the adapter rollout is working as intended.
As with most things EV-related, the Tesla adapter rollout has been far from smooth. Tesla is manufacturing these adapters at its gigafactory in Buffalo, New York, and then supplying them to Ford and all major automakers adopting the North American Charging Standard (NACS). Early on, supply shortages slowed things down. Then, an early batch of the Tesla-made adapters turned was defective, prompting Ford to warn customers to stop using them.
At the same time, Ford was working on a back up plan of sorts. Partnering with charging equipment maker Lectron, it co-developed another NACS-to-CCS adapter—one it says has been tested to withstand serious abuse. Ford showed the adapter surviving a drop test, submersion test, vibration test and even surviving after getting run over by an F-150 Lightning.
Photo by: Ford
All said, Ford isn’t alone in this NACS transition. The adapter rollout is also underway for Rivian, General Motors, Volvo, Polestar, Nissan, Lucid and Mercedes-Benz. The brands that are next in line are BMW, Genesis, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover and Kia.
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