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Ford and Tesla Announce Supercharger Partnership During Twitter Spaces Event

Tesla and Ford announced a partnership allowing Ford EV customers access to Tesla's Supercharger network, showcasing cooperation amidst competition in the EV sector.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Ford CEO Jim Farley announcing their Supercharger network partnership on a Twitter Spaces event.

Despite their roles as competing heads in the EV sector, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Ford Motor Co. CEO Jim Farley set rivalry aside to announce a collaboration during a Twitter Spaces discussion.

This interaction was in stark contrast to the previous night's Twitter Space, which featured 2024 presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and was riddled with technical issues. The discussion between Farley and Musk ran smoothly without any glitches.

Farley commenced the conversation by stating that by early 2024, "all of Ford's existing and future customers will have access to Tesla's 12,000 superchargers across the U.S. [and Canada]."

Ford further clarified in a subsequent statement that the Tesla superchargers will supplement the over 10,000 DC fast-chargers already a part of the BlueOval Charge Network. This collaboration promises Ford EV customers unparalleled access to fast-charging.

Currently, Ford's EV lineup includes the F-150 Lightning pickup truck, the E-transit van, and the Mustang Mach-EV SUV. Meanwhile, Tesla, renowned as the EV market leader, produces the Model S, Model Y, Model 3, Model X, and a semi-truck. Tesla's Cybertruck is slated to hit roads by the end of 2023, while its Roadster is no longer in production.

According to the announcement, Ford's EV customers will be able to use the Superchargers through a Tesla-made adapter, software integration, and activation and payment via FordPass or Ford Pro Intelligence.

By 2025, Ford plans to release next-generation EVs with the North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector built-in, eradicating the need for an adapter to access Tesla Superchargers.

Musk expressed his excitement over this partnership with Ford, noting Ford's outstanding reputation and quality vehicles. He also revealed that the two companies had been working on this collaboration for some time.

Farley admitted that the inspiration for the partnership stemmed from a family vacation where his children pointed out the number of Tesla superchargers they observed on their trip. This, along with the reliability of Tesla's chargers and routing software, spurred Farley's interest in collaboration.

Musk shared Tesla's goal of supporting the acceleration towards sustainable transport, and Farley assured that Ford would devise multiple payment options, potentially including subscriptions, to ensure the adapter is not cost-prohibitive.

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