GM said on Thursday that it will partner with Tesla to use its Supercharger Network for its electric vehicles. This comes after Ford also joined forces with Tesla two weeks ago to access its charging network. GM CEO Mary Barra said this will help their customers switch to electric vehicles more easily and could lead to a common charging standard in North America. Both GM and Tesla shares rose in after-hours trading after the news.
GM drivers will be able to use Tesla Superchargers starting in 2024 with an adapter. By 2025, GM expects its EVs to have a NACs inlet that will connect directly to Tesla Superchargers. This is part of GM’s plan to electrify its fleet. The company aims to produce 400,000 EVs by mid-2024, including 100,000 EVs in North America this year. The company delivered 20,000 EVs in the first quarter.
For Tesla, this is another way to benefit from its leading position in the EV market as its vehicle demand faces challenges. Some analysts think that opening its network to other car makers could bring Tesla more revenue and help it maintain the best charging network, but with some risk of losing vehicle sales.