Tesla Opens Supercharger Network to Ford; Here's How to Get a Free Adapter

Tesla is finally beginning to open its vast Supercharger network to electric vehicles from other manufacturers. Ford is the first automaker to gain widespread access to the network, provided the owner of the EV has an adapter that allows Tesla's proprietary North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector to plug into the Combined Charging System (CCS) port that most other EVs use for DC fast charging. Even better news is that the adapter will be free for owners and lessees of a Ford Mustang Mach-E or Ford F-150 Lightning, provided you submit a request to Ford by June 30, 2024. After that, the adapter will retail for $230.

Owners will also need to be enrolled in Ford's BlueOval Charge Network service, which allows customers to route EV charging payments from several networks — including ChargePoint, EVgo and Electrify America and now Tesla — through one Ford account.

The plan for other automakers

These aren't the first Superchargers to open to other EVs, mind you. One year ago, Tesla announced that a number of Superchargers would feature Magic Dock stations with two cables — one with a NACS plug and one with a CCS plug. While there are still relatively few locations with Magic Dock stations, they were the first sign that Tesla was willing to erode the exclusivity of its network.

Ford is just the first third-party manufacturer to gain access to Tesla's network. In the coming months, owners of Rivian, General Motors, Polestar and Volvo EVs can also plug into certain Supercharger stations, according to Tesla. Starting in 2025, new electric vehicles from most major competitors will be equipped with NACS chargers from the factory.

Limitations of the adapter

There are some limitations to owners of other EVs, however. The adapter detailed above only works at Tesla's DC fast-charging Supercharger stations; it does not work with the high-speed AC adapters that Tesla uses as its at-home charging solution. These are the same wall units that Tesla labels as Destination chargers on its interactive charging station map and are meant as a charging solution for Tesla owners staying at a hotel overnight.

Even though the Supercharger network is beginning to open up to other EVs, not every location will support charging from non-Tesla vehicles. Owners can use the charging map above to filter by "Superchargers Open to NACS" to find a nearby station that supports charging with an adapter. Of the roughly 26,000 Tesla Supercharger charging points across the United States and Canada, more than 15,300 chargers are open to Ford customers.