Ford to Offer Complimentary Tesla Supercharger Adapter to Eligible Lightning Owners (1/31/24 Update)

[LightningShow]

Almost immediately?

I haven't read of Tesla extending the cables on existing V3 chargers. V4 chargers have the longer cables. Most chargers we will be using are V3.

So what's "almost immediately" to you? A year? 2?

Developing a product that will be obsolete in 2 years is bad business in my book.

Sponsored

 

[RickLightning]

Developing a product that will be obsolete in 2 years is bad business in my book.

For people towing, it may never be obsolete.

That said, the market for a ~$300 extension is limited, just like the market for Tesla Taps is limited. Many people don't understand charging, aren't reading about the challenges of pulling up to a Tesla SuperCharger say in April, and ripping out the bottom of their front area on the curb that they have to nestle over.

I expect more than a few "warranty claims" on Mach-Es especially, as people try to blame Ford and Tesla for their inability to navigate at a SuperCharger when they are widely open.

 

[LightningShow]

Would love to here more explanation than just a naked denial.
The exact same law applies. Microsoft was leveraging its market dominance in operating systems to stifle competition in internet browsers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Microsoft_Corp.

We all know Tesla leverages exclusive access to its fast charging to increase its car sales over tee competition. Probably the number one reason people say they want a Tesla vs other EVs is for access to the charging network.

Not just my opinion:
https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/tesla-supercharger-is-an-illegal-monopoly.279013/

(this discussion is probably too deep into the politics of it for this forum).

What restrictions is Tesla putting on other charge networks or car manufacturers? CCS and NACS aren't even compatible. The Microsoft case hinged on actual contractual and technical restrictions on PC manufacturers for removing Internet Explorer. If you read the very first paragraph of the wiki article you would have known that.

 

[RickKeen]

What restrictions is Tesla putting on other charge networks or car manufacturers? CCS and NACS aren't even compatible. The Microsoft case hinged on actual contractual and technical restrictions on PC manufacturers for removing Internet Explorer. If you read the very first paragraph of the wiki article you would have known that.

There are plenty of technical and likely contractual restrictions, else people would have been using adapters already.

 

[LightningShow]

There are plenty of technical and likely contractual restrictions, else people would have been using adapters already.

You’re missing the point. How was Tesla restricting other charge providers from developing their own network? CCS networks have just about as many handles as Tesla. If Microsoft was building and selling their own PCs and only allowing use of IE on their own Microsoft branded PCs then you would have a good analogy. In that case they wouldn’t be restricting anyone from using other browsers and it wouldn’t have been a monopoly issue.

 

[1Jetpilot]

Will Lightning owners have to worry about the Tesla Superchargers charging cable not being long enough to reach our trucks? I have seen photos of influencers plugging in and it appears to barely be long enough. Just wanted to know if the length would be long enough on every stall when we get the free adapters.

 

[RickLightning]

Will Lightning owners have to worry about the Tesla Superchargers charging cable not being long enough to reach our trucks? I have seen photos of influencers plugging in and it appears to barely be long enough. Just wanted to know if the length would be long enough on every stall when we get the free adapters.

No, the length will not be long enough on every stall. Been discussed many times. Some locations are easy, some have high curbs and posts and you have to park sideways.

 

[RickKeen]

You’re missing the point. How was Tesla restricting other charge providers from developing their own network? CCS networks have just about as many handles as Tesla. If Microsoft was building and selling their own PCs and only allowing use of IE on their own Microsoft branded PCs then you would have a good analogy. In that case they wouldn’t be restricting anyone from using other browsers and it wouldn’t have been a monopoly issue.

Its the other way around. Tesla's charge network is like Windows - largest market share. The Tesla cars are like IE. Other cars are like Netscape. Only allowing Tesla cars to charge from Tesla network is like only allowing IE to run on windows. Even though people could buy a Unix computer to run Netscape.

 

[LightningShow]

Its the other way around. Tesla's charge network is like Windows - largest market share. The Tesla cars are like IE. Other cars are like Netscape. Only allowing Tesla cars to charge from Tesla network is like only allowing IE to run on windows. Even though people could buy a Unix computer to run Netscape.

You're mangling the Microsoft analogy. Microsoft got sued for forcing PC manufacturers to use IE, not for only allowing IE on Windows PCs. The illegal part was leveraging their OS dominance to restrict competition in the Windows-compatible browser market. Non-Teslas are not compatible with the Tesla Supercharger network. Other EVs have access to the CCS network. They aren't in competition with Tesla for DC charging. IE and Netscape were in direct competition. The situation would be analogous to IE vs Safari. Microsoft wasn't restricting competition with MacOS browsers because they aren't compatible with Windows PCs.

EDIT: Now that Tesla is opening NACS, if they start strong arming other carmakers into making their cars only compatible with the Supercharger network then you would have a perfect analogy. That would be restricting the competitive landscape for DC fast charging by leveraging their existing DC charge network.

 

[RickKeen]

You're mangling the Microsoft analogy. Microsoft got sued for forcing PC manufacturers to use IE, not for only allowing IE on Windows PCs. The illegal part was leveraging their OS dominance to restrict competition in the Windows-compatible browser market.

Plenty of CCS car owners would LOVE to buy electricity from Tesla Supercharger network. But they cannot because they are locked out by Tesla. Its not the lack of adapters. its Tesla restraining the trade.

 

[Tony Burgh]

Will Lightning owners have to worry about the Tesla Superchargers charging cable not being long enough to reach our trucks? I have seen photos of influencers plugging in and it appears to barely be long enough. Just wanted to know if the length would be long enough on every stall when we get the free adapters.

I found that charging at a magic dock is awkward when no other cars are cars are parked in adjacent spaces and will be impossible when they are.
Some seem to think that Tesla will add longer charge cords at an adequate number of SC within two years to accommodate Lightnings and other large vehicles. I have my doubts.

 

[TheWoo]

Plenty of CCS car owners would LOVE to buy electricity from Tesla Supercharger network. But they cannot because they are locked out by Tesla. Its not the lack of adapters. its Tesla restraining the trade.

Plenty of non-iOS users would love to use iMessage. Is Apple in violation the same way?

Your analogy is just wrong in practice and wrong in the law.

 

[GDN]

Plenty of CCS car owners would LOVE to buy electricity from Tesla Supercharger network. But they cannot because they are locked out by Tesla. Its not the lack of adapters. its Tesla restraining the trade.

As they should and as a shareholder and as an owner I applaud. It was their leverage point to gain traction and give them an advantage for a few years. Likely if they hadn't who knows if they would have made it. Elon was just as close to being out of business as he was to being one of the richest men in the world.

They are now opening them, Ford is giving us an adapter and you want to spend time here bitching and whining. Time to move on.

 

[GDN]

Some do, and it wasn't just early S and X. They offered it for a bit on the Performance 3, then once or twice for other very small periods of time as promotions since then. So not many, but it has been known to happen a few times over the last years. The net result is small numbers of cars that end up with it.

Speaking of Free Supercharging, Tesla just announced transfer of free supercharging to a new S, X or Y if you currently have it and purchase new. This offer is for a limited time.

 

[RickLightning]

I found that charging at a magic dock is awkward when no other cars are cars are parked in adjacent spaces and will be impossible when they are.
Some seem to think that Tesla will add longer charge cords at an adequate number of SC within two years to accommodate Lightnings and other large vehicles. I have my doubts.

Location-specific. Some have bollards, some have high curbs, some have curb stops too far away, and some are very usable.