Tesla is seeking to provide reprieve to the criticism regarding a lack of electric vehicle charging stations with its Magic Dock.
The EV company introduced the Magic Dock as a way for non-Tesla EV drivers to make use of some of its Supercharger stations.
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Chris Bowe, the driver of a Ford F-150 Lightning, said he appreciated the ease of the Magic Dock, making it possible for him to charge without an adapter.
“I plug it into my truck, and it just works,” Bowe told Bloomberg. “You hear the Magic Dock click and latch into place and it starts charging. It’s beautiful.”
In addition to its Magic Dock, Tesla also recently announced partnerships with Ford and General Motors to provide drivers with opportunities to access Tesla’s Supercharger stations that do not have the Magic Dock.
“We don’t want the Tesla Supercharger network to be like a walled garden,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk said. “We want to be supportive of electrification and sustainable transport in general.”
Beginning in 2024, Tesla will provide adapters for Ford and GM electric vehicles. In 2025, the Supercharger station’s unique charging port will be built into Ford and GM’s EV lines.
GM CEO Mary Barra said the new partnership has the potential to affect the entire EV industry.
“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,” Barra said.
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With the partnerships, Tesla’s Supercharger stations become more accessible, giving Tesla the edge over charging rivals such as Electrify America, ChargePoint, and EVgo Inc.
The new charging partnerships come as BloombergNEF’s Electric Vehicle Outlook 2023 report noted that the nation’s charging infrastructure must be expanded “dramatically, including for remote and otherwise under-served locations.”