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Zach Brandon kept clicking refresh on his computer, trying to place his order for a free device that will dramatically reduce his worries about finding a charging station to power up his all-electric 2023 Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition.
A warning message on the Ford website repeatedly popped up on his screen early Thursday that said, “Due to surging demand, our site is temporarily unavailable. Please check back soon.”
“The initial influx … briefly interrupted the ordering process and we were able to quickly address it with customer orders flowing across the day. The huge interest highlights the importance of improving access to public charging,” Ford spokesman Marty Gunsberg told the Detroit Free Press on Friday
Ford Thursday launched an order link online for its EV owners to order free adaptors that would allow them to charge their vehicles at the Tesla fast-charging network, in addition to finding random charging stations. Access to the Tesla network, known for its dependability and thousands of locations, has been touted by Ford CEO Jim Farley since he brokered the deal with Tesla CEO Elon Musk in May.
“We think this is a huge move for our industry and for all electric customers,” Farley said at the time.
On Thursday, he tweeted an image of himself charging a Mach-E at a Tesla site and said, “I’ve tested it myself and it works great. Making something this easy to use takes a lot of hard work behind the scenes, so congrats to the @Ford and @Tesla teams for making this happen. I would also like to thank @ElonMusk and the Tesla team for their close collaboration and leadership to help change the lives of so many EV customers through improved access to charging.”
Brandon, 50, of Madison, Wisconsin told the Detroit Free Press on Thursday, “This is a game changer.”
After about two hours of trying to get into the Ford system, Brandon placed his order and received the email he wanted: “Your fast-charging adaptor is in production” with an estimated shipping date of June.
Brandon, president of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, said the small device will give him the freedom to drive longer distances without worrying about charging deserts. He has owned his all-electric SUV about a month.
“The opportunity to tap into additional charging infrastructure is exciting and, I think, validates why I bought a Ford EV,” he said. “Now the Mach-E is my every day driver and I don’t have to ask my wife if we can trade cars or plan out my day beyond the charging infrastructure.”
Concern about access to charging has been identified as a major obstacle to Americans buying electric vehicles. While people including Brandon begin their days with a full charge after plugging in their vehicles at home, and driving locally with little problem, longer trips require more planning. Or, as Brandon said, swapping cars with family members. He just sold his 2016 Mercedes E-400 and now his wife drives a 2017 Land Rover.
“My Ford window sticker says 260 mile range fully charged,” Brandon said. “But the reality is, I have been averaging around 220 with city driving. Cold weather is likely the main reason for the difference. There is only one gear so little fuel efficiency is found with highway driving. I actually see less range when I drive on the highway. So this is another reason why access to Tesla Supercharger network helps.”
Timing couldn’t have been better for Brandon. While he said he has zero concerns about charging in his community, which has a robust charging network, a business trip to Milwaukee had been an issue before he installed a charging system at home. He had to go to a charger at a Home Depot parking lot, then stop at a mall during dinner to charge. Then he had to drive out of his way past a bunch of Tesla charging stations to get to an Electrify America network that is standard for most electric vehicle drivers now.
“Now I don’t have to view my EV as a local car. It’s not out of the realm of possibility to do something cross country now,” Brandon said.
Ford said it will begin shipping the adapters at the end of March. The lag reflects the high number of orders that need to be fulfilled, Gunsberg said. He declined to say how many adapters are being provided for free to customers.
How many Tesla chargers will Ford drivers be able to access?
Doubling fast-charging options beyond the BlueOval Charge Network with more than 15,000 Tesla Superchargers has generated overwhelming enthusiasm from customers, based on response after Ford brokered a deal with Tesla, Gunsberg said.
“Even though most charging occurs at home, access to reliable public fast charging is a key barrier and this move makes a huge difference,” he said.
A Cox Automotive study in 2023 found that 51% of consumers were considering either a new or used electric vehicle, up from 38% in 2021. But electric vehicles sales haven’t cracked 10% of new-vehicle sales yet.
More:Ford inks deal selling 1,000 electric F-150 Lightnings, Mustang Mach-E SUVs
Ford has sold 165,940 electric vehicles from December 2020 through January 2024, including the Mach-E SUV, F-150 Lightning pickup and E-Transit van, Erich Merkle, Ford U.S. sales analyst, told the Free Press Friday. The SUV and pickup together total 151,343 vehicles.
Soon, others will join
While Mach-E, F-150 Lightning retail customers and E-Transit van commercial customers may reserve a fast-charging adapter at no cost if ordered by June 30, future Ford EV customers may purchase the adapter from Ford for $230, including estimated tax and shipping, the automaker said.
Future Ford vehicles will have the North American Charging Standard connector built-in, eliminating the need for an adapter to access Tesla Superchargers, Ford said.
Other automakers, including General Motors, have said they’ll follow Ford’s lead in joining the Tesla network and switch to the proprietary Tesla plug, now called the North American Charging Standard, which is smaller and easier to use than the current plugs on most other EVs sold in the U.S. and Canada.
Adapters may be purchased privately by any electric vehicle owner. But Thursday was the first day that Ford vehicles could be charged at the Tesla sites.
Contact Phoebe Wall Howard: 313-618-1034 or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on X at @phoebesaid
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