Ford Announces Free Tesla Supercharger Adapters For Mustang Mach-E And Lightning Owners
In May 2023, when Ford confirmed that its future EVs would adopt the NACS (North American Charging Standard), the company also revealed that gaining access to Tesla's Supercharger network by spring 2024 was part of this deal. Given that Ford's current EV vehicles use a different charging standard (and, therefore, a different plug), and to make the transition easier for such owners, Ford promised to offer a complementary fast charging adapter to owners of the company's existing EVs.
Now that we are on the cusp of spring 2024, Ford's President and CEO, Jim Farley, took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and shared the latest update concerning this major switch. Jim confirmed that all eligible Ford EV customers would soon be able to reserve a complimentary Fast Charging Adapter for their existing J1772-plug-toting vehicles. Apparently, this offer is open to all "eligible" buyers of the Ford Mustang Mach E and the Ford F150 Lightning. While Ford hasn't explicitly confirmed what the eligibility criteria are, in a reply to a user, Farley revealed that it would be based on the vehicle's VIN number for all Ford EVs manufactured between MY2021 and MY2024.
When we announced @Ford EVs would get access to @Tesla Superchargers, I said we'd send customers a Fast Charging Adapter. I'm pleased to confirm that eligible #MustangMachE & #F150Lightning owners in the U.S. + Canada can reserve a complimentary adapter starting soon.
This is... pic.twitter.com/QbGjEmsA3Y
— Jim Farley (@jimfarley98) January 31, 2024
It is pertinent to note that Farley or Ford did not explicitly confirm any dates as to how soon eligible users can reserve the aforementioned complimentary charger. Additionally, the company has yet to confirm the dates from which these existing Ford EVs could latch onto the Supercharger Network. What is also not known currently is the manner in which eligible Ford EV customers will be able to order the charging adapter. We can expect the company to make formal announcements about the dates in the near future, though.
NACS to be the dominant charging standard by 2025?
Ford is not the only major player to adopt the NACS standard, as various other companies, including Volkswagen, Hyundai, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, General Motors, and Toyota, joined the bandwagon in 2023. In fact, the only major traditional car companies yet to adopt the standard include Mitsubishi and the Stellantis Group (which owns brands like Jeep, Fiat, Maserati, and Ram).
The decision to adopt standardized charging is being seen as a collective effort within the industry to address one of the key concerns of potential EV buyers: charging infrastructure compatibility. It is also part of a broader industry-wide push to create a more cohesive charging ecosystem, fostering interoperability and reducing potential inconveniences for EV owners.
The collaborative effort aims to create a future where electric vehicle users can seamlessly charge their vehicles across different charging networks, eliminating the need for multiple adapters or concerns about charging compatibility. By 2025, all of Ford's EVs will make the switch to the NACS charging standard, meaning that all of them will come equipped with the new NACS charging plug.