In addition, GM will adopt Tesla's connector, the plug that links an electric vehicle to a charging station.
At first, GM and Ford EV owners will need an adapter to hook into the Tesla stations, which have their own connector. But both GM and Ford will switch to Tesla's North American Charging Standard connector starting with new EVs produced in 2025. Financial details of the agreement between the two companies were not released Thursday, but GM spokesman Darryll Harrison said GM isn't paying Tesla.
Tesla's supercharger network is a huge competitive advantage for the company based in Austin, Texas, which sells more EVs than anyone else in the U.S. Chargers often are located near freeways to enable long trips, where most fast-charging plugs are needed, and generally they're more reliable than other networks.
“At the end of the day, we're looking at what's best for our customers,” Barra said. “We aren't the only company that comes up with good ideas.”