Ford CEO Jim Farley joined Elon Musk on a Twitter Spaces stream this evening, and the duo announced that going forward, Ford will adopt Tesla's charge port (called "NACS") on future Ford vehicles. As part of this change, all Ford vehicles will have access to Tesla's charging network. During the call, Musk mentioned that an adapter will be made available allowing existing Ford vehicles to access the network as well. Pricing and availability of the adapter is not yet clear.
Ford customers will be able to access the 12,000 Tesla Superchargers in the U.S. and Canada starting early next year, in addition to the 10,000+ DC Fast Chargers that are already part of the "BlueOval Charge Network". Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning and E-Transit customers will be able to access the Superchargers using an adapter. The vehicles will also feature software integration including activation and payment via FordPass or Ford Pro Intelligence.
In 2025, Ford will introduce next-gen vehicles that come with the Tesla NACS connector built-in, eliminating the need for an adapter. It's unclear if these vehicles will retain a CCS charge port in addition to the Tesla port.
This marks the first time any automaker has shifted away from the SAE CCS connector, which is the dominant plug for non-Tesla vehicles in North America.
This is a big deal. Tesla's excellent Supercharger network is one of the key competitive advantages Tesla holds over other manufacturers, and Ford's compatibility is likely to delight customers who appreciate the convenience and reliability that Tesla's network is known for.
