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Ford is sending customers replacement adapters for use with Tesla’s Supercharger network, warning that using the original could damage their cars.
The news comes just seven months after Ford EV drivers gained access to Tesla's network of Superchargers across the US and Canada, allowing drivers of vehicles such as the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning to access a far greater number of charging points.
For now, Ford drivers need an adapter to connect to a Tesla Supercharger, which features North American Charging Standard (NACS) ports. (Starting next year, Ford will make its EVs with built-in NACS ports.) But that initial batch of adapters appears to be faulty.
As first reported by InsideEVs, Ford sent an email to customers that says it “does not recommend using the adapter initially supplied to you with any vehicle from this time on, and we will be sending you a replacement."
Ford will start sending free replacement adapters beginning Oct. 28. "It is imperative that we receive all adapters affected to reduce the risk of potential vehicle damage," it says.
According to the service bulletin, customers should make sure their address is updated in their Ford Pass account by Oct. 24 so the replacement adapter goes to the right place.
The automotive giant didn’t provide much detail about the potential damage, other than saying using the charging might impact their vehicle's long-term charging speeds. InsideEVs reports that only "a certain recent batch” of Ford's NACS adapters are impacted.
Ford was the first automaker to formally roll out Supercharger support, but Rivian and General Motors EVs followed in March and September, respectively. Neither automaker is reporting any problems with their own adapters.
More EVs are set to access the Supercharger network in the coming months, with Nissan, Volvo, Polestar, and Mercedes up next. The rest of the major automakers are set to follow by early 2025 if all goes according to plan.