Musk gives Ford access to Tesla’s US chargers

Tesla will open its network of superchargers in the United States and Canada to Ford electric vehicles from 2024, the companies said Thursday, doubling the stations available to Ford customers.

“In early 2024, all of Ford’s existing customers and future customers will have access to 12,000 Tesla superchargers and high-speed superchargers across the US,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said in a joint announcement with Tesla owner Elon Musk.

Musk said he did not want Tesla charging stations “to be a walled garden,” referring to strategies that block rivals from sharing products or technology.

“We want it to be something that is supportive of electrification and sustainable transport in general,” Musk added.

In addition, Ford’s next-generation of EVs will include Tesla’s charging plug, allowing owners to charge at Tesla stations without an adapter, Farley said.

The announcement was made in a Twitter Spaces event, the same format used by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Wednesday to announce his candidacy to be US president that was marred by technical glitches.

The gesture to Ford came as competition is heating up for Tesla, which until now has dominated the emerging EV industry.

Ford came in second in fully electric vehicle sales in the United States last year, according to CNBC.

Faced with more competition from other automakers, Tesla has undertaken a series of price cuts in 2023 and seen its margins squeezed.

Musk in February pledged to make Tesla’s US charging network available to other electric vehicle brands following White House negotiations.

Tesla agreed to make at least 7,500 chargers nationwide open to non-Tesla EVs by the end of 2024.

© 2023 AFP