Soon, GM electric vehicles will be able to charge within the Tesla Supercharger network, and even get the same charging port.
On Thursday, General Motors CEO Mary Barra joined Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Twitter Spaces, announcing the automaker’s decision to drop CCS in its electric models for Tesla’s charging standard called NACS (North American Charging Standard), starting in 2025.
With that move, Barra emphasized the importance of robust electric charging infrastructure and — as a clear message to some frustrated owners — a common standard for the charging port. “This collaboration is a key part of our strategy and an important next step in quickly expanding access to fast chargers for our customers,” she said. “Not only with it help make the transition to electric vehicles more seamless for our customers, but it could help move the industry toward a single North American charging standard.”
Before it actually integrates NACS ports into its own vehicles, current GM EV drivers will have access to Tesla’s 12,000-strong network of Superchargers early next year. Both points mirror an arrangement Ford recently made with Tesla. GM, for its part, states that such a deal will further open up possibilities for customers to find charging stations using its “Ultium Charge 360” network. Currently, that network directs drivers to Blink, ChargePoint, EV Connect, EVgo, FLO, Greenlots and SemaConnect.
Musk: No unfair advantage to Tesla vehicles
The Verge notes a few important comments from Elon Musk on their latest agreement with General Motors. He said during the Twitter Spaces event, “Tesla’s not gonna do anything to prefer Tesla (when it comes to charging), so it really will be, you know, an even playing field. I think people should feel comfortable buying a Tesla or a GM car, and we will provide support equally to both. The most important thing is that we advanced the electric vehicle revolution.”
Right now, Tesla does have a major competitive advantage with the Supercharger network, but in terms of scale and reliability. Unlike other companies, software or hardware problems at Supercharger stations are fewer and farther between. Rather than hinge the success of their rollouts on other third-party vendors or invest in their own massively expensive network, Ford and GM turn to Tesla to improve the quality of life for their EV customers.
We’ll keep an eye out on how this rollout proceeds. As the changes do roll out, let us know about your experience charging either a Ford or GM vehicle at info@tflcar.com. (If you do email us your stories, make sure to include photos if you can!).
If you need a refresher on what charging is like right now, check out the video below:
