Ford’s F-150 Lightning EV now include charging adapters that can charge a Tesla should it require on-road assistance. Ford CEO Jim Farley on Twitter dismissed any suggestions that they were “trolling” Musk or Tesla owners. Instead, he says the charging feature is “just helpful.”
To be fair, Ford has made the F150’s bidirectional charging capabilities a significant selling point of its electric pickup as it allows customers to use the truck’s battery as a backup generator for homes or worksites. The truck can put out up to 2.4 kilowatts from various outlets in the frunk, cabin, and bed. For certain trims, the capacity increases to 9.6 kilowatts. The higher-output version includes a 240-volt, 30-amp outlet in the bed that can be used for charging another EV at 7.2 kilowatts.
However, the Tesla adapter now found by new F-150 Lightning owners is not on the accessories list, but clearly, the company is aware of it. While a spokesperson told The Verge only that the Lightning can charge other EVs using its bi-directional charging capability, “and we’re shipping our first Lightnings with adaptors so F-150 Lightning customers can lend a hand if needed,” Jim Farley was a bit more direct.
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Also, Lightning owners delighted in forums.
Clearly, the Tesla adapter is cheeky, to say the least, especially since Tesla cars come with a proprietary charge port (and very large batteries) in the US.
According to Bloomberg NEF data, Tesla also has the second-largest public charging network in the USA, boasting 19% of all connectors. It has plans to triple the size of its supercharger network over the next two years.
Ford, on the other hand, has been trying to catch up. The company in March created a dedicated EV business unit called Ford Model E – a trademark the carmaker had successfully sued Tesla for in 2014 when the then-newcomer wanted to use it for the Model 3 in the making.
Ford currently offers the Mustang Mach-E, the E-Transit and, in North America, the F-150 Lightning as BEVs. Other models are to follow in Europe, for example, an electric Puma and the model built in Cologne on the basis of Volkswagen’s MEB. In Europe, Ford wants to be a pure electric vehicle brand by 2030.
fortune.com, theverge.com, lightningowners.com
Keyword: Ford F-150 Lightning comes well adapted to Tesla cars