Ford expands EV charging network, Tesla Supercharger V4 hardware coming

Ford will add Tesla V4 Supercharger access for customers as it looks to tap into more public charging stations.

While timing for adding those top-tech Tesla chargers has yet to be specified, the automaker did confirm in a recent press release that it would increase its Blue Oval Charging Network by 25%, to a total of 106,000 chargers in North America. The Blue Oval Charging Network is an aggregator rather than a true network, providing a more streamlined interface for Ford customers on existing public charging networks.

In this case, Ford grew the number of available stations by adding the Francis Energy, Blink, and Red E networks alongside existing compatibility with Electrify America, EVgo, Shell Recharge Solutions, ChargePoint, FLO, EV Connect, and Electric Circuit.

Ford allows customers to set up a single payment account for all of these networks through its FordPass app, which the automaker claims allows customers to search for and charge at a station on any of the affiliated networks through a vehicle’s touchscreen.

In the same release, Ford also gave an update on its adoption of the Tesla North American Charging Standard (NACS), first announced in May, which kicked off a wave of announcements from other automakers confirming future use of the NACS charge port. Ford now says customers will have access to 15,000 Tesla V3 Superchargers next year, when an adapter allowing current Ford EVs to charge at those stations will become available.

Ford also confirmed to Green Car Reports, in follow-up questions about the higher number of Superchargers, that this simply reflects an updated total of V3 Superchargers anticipated next year when Ford makes them available. All V4 Superchargers will be added to the BlueOval network, too, although it did not provide details on timing.

The Blue Oval Charging Network update follows the recent addition of Apple Maps for the F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E as an alternative for routing to charging stations. The company has also taken charging reliability more seriously than some others up until now, with “charge angels” sent to infrastructure trouble spots.

However, Ford is not one of the seven automakers aiming to create a new American fast-charging network. That unnamed coalition of BMW Group, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, and Stellantis aims to install at least 30,000 high-powered charge points at urban and highway locations with both NACS and Combined Charging Standard (CCS) connectors.