Ford EV customers offered free Tesla charging adapters

Thanks to a giveaway plan launched this week, Ford EV drivers will soon have access to Tesla’s large charging network.

Starting Thursday, Ford customers who drive one of the company’s electric vehicles will be able to get a Tesla-branded charging adapter free of charge. Until July 1, customers can reserve a free adapter through the FordPass app. 

After July 1, customers will need to buy their adapters, which retail for around $230. 

Once installed, the adapters will give drivers access to the sprawling Tesla charging network, the largest in the nation. The company has around 15,000 Supercharge stations around the country. 

On top of availability, the switch to Tesla’s Supercharge stations solves an issue of reliability. EV customers have complained that some third-party charging stations are difficult to use or are in poor shape compared to Tesla’s stations.  

Ford said that customers who reserve their free adapter might need to wait a while before it arrives since the company needs to rely on Tesla to manufacture the tech. Ford expects any future EVs it manufactures to have the Tesla charging standard built-in, making the adapters unnecessary. 

Ford’s distribution effort is a first for an industry that is rapidly adopting Tesla’s North American Charging Standard.  Last year, Ford was the first major automotive manufacturer to adopt Tesla’s charging standard, with other manufacturers following soon after.