Ford Motors has announced an unexpected partnership with Tesla Inc. to provide access to Tesla’s enormous Supercharger network to owners of electric vehicles (EVs). The intentions were unveiled by the CEOs of both automakers during a live audio debate on Twitter Spaces on Thursday.
Starting early next year, current Ford owners will be able to utilise Tesla’s approximately 12,000 Superchargers across the United States and Canada with the use of an adaptor. Ford Motors next wave of EVs, due around the middle of the decade, will use Tesla’s charging port, allowing Ford owners to charge at Tesla Superchargers without the use of an adapter. With this integration, Ford Motors becomes one of the first automakers to openly join Tesla’s network.
Ford Motors CEO Jim Farley and Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced the collaborative project as part of Ford’s attempts to increase EV manufacturing and potentially compete with Tesla’s considerable EV sales volume.
Tesla is a dominant force in the EV sector, with Ford finishing second in fully electric car sales in the United States last year, with 61,575 electric vehicles sold. Earlier this year, Tesla announced plans to expose its private network to other electric vehicles. This action follows Tesla’s February vow to the White House to make 7,500 charging stations available to non-Tesla EV drivers by the end of 2024. Until until, the company’s chargers in the United States were primarily developed for and used by Tesla EVs.
Despite their direct rivalry, Farley and Musk have expressed mutual admiration. Ford achieved a victory in the EV pickup sector by launching the F-150 Lightning in April 2022 and following Tesla’s lead by lowering the price of its Mustang Mach-E crossover. Musk, on the other hand, has praised Ford Motors for avoiding bankruptcy during the Great Recession, distinguishing it from Detroit competitors General Motors and Chrysler.
Also Read:
