GM's electric vehicles will gain access to Tesla's vast charging network

May 08, 2023

DETROIT (AP MODIFIED) — Electric vehicles made by General Motors will be able to use much of Tesla's extensive charging network beginning early next year under an agreement the two companies announced Thursday.

In addition, GM will adopt Tesla's connector, the plug that links an electric vehicle to a charging station.

GM joins Ford in shifting its electric vehicles to work with about 12,000 of Tesla's roughly 17,000 chargers, and both Detroit automakers are pushing to make Tesla's connector the industry standard. GM CEO Mary Barra and her Tesla counterpart, Elon Musk, made the announcement during a Twitter Spaces conversation.

Their discussion comes two weeks after Ford CEO Jim Farley joined Musk to announce that Ford's electric vehicles would gain access to much of Tesla's EV-charging network, the largest in the nation. Farley also said Ford would switch to Tesla's charging network connector rather than to a different one that is used by the rest of the industry.

At first, GM and Ford EV owners will need an adapter to hook into the Tesla stations, which have their own connector. But both GM and Ford will switch to Tesla's North American Charging Standard connector starting in 2025.

GM will also use the Tesla Supercharger Network in its vehicles and apps to help drivers find, pay for and charge at Tesla Supercharging stations.

"Our vision of the all-electric future means producing millions of world-class EVs across categories and price points, while creating an ecosystem that will accelerate mass EV adoption," Barra said in a press release. "This collaboration is a key part of our strategy and an important next step in quickly expanding access to fast chargers for our customers. Not only will 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."

Tesla has about 17,000 Supercharger stations in the U.S. There are about 54,000 public charging stations in the U.S., according to the Department of Energy, but many charge much more slowly than the Tesla stations.

"Like Ford, we see this as an opportunity to expand access to charging," Barra said, adding that GM hopes the rest of the industry will move to the Tesla charging connector, which is different from the standard one used by most other EVs.

Musk said that GM and Tesla vehicles would have an even playing field at the charging stations.

"We will provide support equally to both," he said. "The most important thing is we advance the electric vehicle revolution."