General Motors has announced its future electric vehicles will use utilize Tesla’s charging hardware, enabling owners to access the extensive Supercharger network.
Starting next year, GM customers will be granted access to 12,000 Tesla Superchargers.
But they will require an adapter due to the difference in charge ports between GM vehicles and Tesla’s infrastructure.
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In a significant move, GM plans to adopt the Tesla charge port for its EVs beginning in 2025.
GM CEO Mary Barra expressed her belief providing customers with Supercharger access will accelerate the adoption of EVs.
She also stated that the transition to Tesla’s charge port “could help move the industry toward a single North American charging standard.”
This agreement between GM and Tesla follows a similar arrangement recently outlined by Ford Motor and Tesla.
Under the Ford-Tesla agreement, Ford customers will gain access to over 12,000 Superchargers, and Ford will adopt Tesla’s charging hardware for its forthcoming line of EVs, set to launch in approximately two years.
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GM and Ford emphasized the advantage of expanding their customers’ access to Tesla’s charging network, as it instantly increases the number of charging locations available.
However, the prospect of additional non-Tesla drivers accessing the Supercharger network raises concerns about potential longer wait times for Tesla owners.
During a live Twitter chat, Barra praised Tesla’s charging hardware design and reliability, expressing enthusiasm for establishing it as the unified standard in North America.
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Tesla CEO Elon Musk assured GM owners they would receive equal access to Superchargers, highlighting the intention to provide support equally for Tesla and GM customers.
Tesla’s Supercharger network is widely regarded as the most reliable in the industry, encompassing over 17,700 fast chargers across more than 1,650 locations in the US.
The company’s decision to open its network to non-Tesla owners aligns with its eligibility for federal funding to expand the national EV charging infrastructure.
GM is the second automaker, after Ford, to strike a deal with Tesla for access to its Supercharger network.
