General Motors (GM) has announced a partnership with Tesla to utilize the renowned electric vehicle leader’s charging network and cutting-edge technologies for GM’s EVs. This collaboration closely follows a similar agreement between Tesla and Ford last month, indicating a growing trend towards a unified standard for EV charging across the industry. The partnership entails GM vehicles gaining access to Tesla’s expansive network of 12,000 fast chargers through the use of an adapter and GM’s own EV charging app, starting in the upcoming year.
The alliance between GM CEO Mary Barra and Tesla CEO Elon Musk was unveiled during a live audio discussion on Twitter Spaces, where they highlighted the mutual benefits of the partnership. Barra emphasized that GM vehicles would be able to utilize 12,000 of Tesla’s fast chargers by utilizing an adapter and the automaker’s EV charging app, commencing next year.
Additionally, GM will begin incorporating Tesla’s charging port, known as NACS (North American Charging Standard), in its EVs starting from 2025, replacing the current industry-standard CCS (Combined Charging System).
Barra further stated that this collaboration would save GM approximately $400 million of a previously announced $750 million investment aimed at expanding their EV charging infrastructure. She expressed confidence that adopting Tesla’s technology would facilitate the widespread adoption of EVs by providing customers with greater convenience and assurance.
Elon Musk extended a warm welcome to GM, granting them access to the extensive Tesla Supercharger network, which boasts around 17,000 stations across the United States. Musk assured equal support for both GM and Ford vehicles at Tesla’s charging stations, emphasizing the importance of advancing the electric vehicle revolution.
This partnership between two prominent Detroit automakers represents a significant triumph for Tesla and its charging technology. It is expected to exert pressure on other automakers and the U.S. government, which has allocated billions toward the establishment of an EV charging network, to adopt Tesla’s standard. Wall Street analysts enthusiastically received the Tesla-Ford deal as a “win-win” when it was initially announced last month.
Following the announcement, both GM and Tesla stocks experienced a 3% increase during after-hours trading on Thursday. This collaboration aligns with GM’s ongoing efforts to boost the production of fully electric vehicles and pursue sales volumes comparable to Tesla in the EV segment.
