Month: February 2024
Ford EV owners can now use Tesla Superchargers in the US and Canada
Ford EVs will gain access to Tesla’s Superchargers across the US and Canada starting today, becoming the first non-Tesla vehicles to do so, Ford announced. The companies cemented the fast charging pact last year and numerous other automakers followed suit later on. The expanded network will be a big benefit for the Ford and its customers amid news that sales of its EVs have heavily sagged.
Current Ford EVs use CCS type chargers, so current customers must order the Fast Charging Adapter (NACS) compatible with Tesla’s Superchargers (below). That will be available at no charge to new and existing clients in the BlueOval charge network until June 30, 2024. After that, it will cost $230 including estimated taxes and shipping. Starting in 2025, Ford EVs will come standard with the NACS charging system.
Ford
Customers can use the FordPass App to locate the new Tesla Superchargers, just as they would when looking for BlueOval chargers. Tesla Superchargers will also be coming to Apple Maps EV routing, Google Maps EV routing, and the Ford Connected built-in navigation BlueOval charge network.
As for payment, you’ll be able to handle that through the FordPass app and Charge Assist app in the vehicle’s touchscreen. “This means customers simply have to plug in and charging will automatically start with [costs] managed through FordPass.” BlueOval charge network membership is required, and if you’re not yet enrolled, you’ll be prompted to do so when order the NACS adapter (check’s Ford’s website for more details).
Tesla’s 15,000+ strong Supercharger network will more than double Ford EV owners’ access to fast DC chargers. With that, it will have 28,000 fast chargers and 126,000 chargers total. The company notes that a lack of charging stations is the second largest barrier after price for customers potentially selecting EVs instead of ICE or PHEV vehicles.
The news is good for Ford and other automakers who will get a big boost in the number of fast charging spots. However, Tesla owners will see a lot more Supercharger competition. Last year, the US government opened $2.5 billion in funding for community EV chargers
With declining EV sales, Ford was recently forced to lower Mach E prices by $3,100 to $8,100, it recently said in a financial statement. The company also cut production of that model and the F-150 Lightning pickup truck due to the slowdown.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ford-ev-owners-can-now-use-tesla-superchargers-in-the-us-and-canada-130053549.html?src=rss
Ford EVs will gain access to Tesla’s Superchargers across the US and Canada starting today, becoming the first non-Tesla vehicles to do so, Ford announced. The companies cemented the fast charging pact last year and numerous other automakers followed suit later on. The expanded network will be a big benefit for the Ford and its customers amid news that sales of its EVs have heavily sagged.
Current Ford EVs use CCS type chargers, so current customers must order the Fast Charging Adapter (NACS) compatible with Tesla’s Superchargers (below). That will be available at no charge to new and existing clients in the BlueOval charge network until June 30, 2024. After that, it will cost $230 including estimated taxes and shipping. Starting in 2025, Ford EVs will come standard with the NACS charging system.
Customers can use the FordPass App to locate the new Tesla Superchargers, just as they would when looking for BlueOval chargers. Tesla Superchargers will also be coming to Apple Maps EV routing, Google Maps EV routing, and the Ford Connected built-in navigation BlueOval charge network.
As for payment, you’ll be able to handle that through the FordPass app and Charge Assist app in the vehicle’s touchscreen. “This means customers simply have to plug in and charging will automatically start with [costs] managed through FordPass.” BlueOval charge network membership is required, and if you’re not yet enrolled, you’ll be prompted to do so when order the NACS adapter (check’s Ford’s website for more details).
Tesla’s 15,000+ strong Supercharger network will more than double Ford EV owners’ access to fast DC chargers. With that, it will have 28,000 fast chargers and 126,000 chargers total. The company notes that a lack of charging stations is the second largest barrier after price for customers potentially selecting EVs instead of ICE or PHEV vehicles.
The news is good for Ford and other automakers who will get a big boost in the number of fast charging spots. However, Tesla owners will see a lot more Supercharger competition. Last year, the US government opened $2.5 billion in funding for community EV chargers
With declining EV sales, Ford was recently forced to lower Mach E prices by $3,100 to $8,100, it recently said in a financial statement. The company also cut production of that model and the F-150 Lightning pickup truck due to the slowdown.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ford-ev-owners-can-now-use-tesla-superchargers-in-the-us-and-canada-130053549.html?src=rss
Figure rides the humanoid robot hype wave to $2.6B valuation
Today Figure confirmed long-standing rumors that it’s raising more money than God. The Bay Area–based robotics firm has announced a $675 million Series B on a $2.6 billion valuation. The lineup of investors is equally impressive, including Microsoft, OpenAI Startup Fund, Nvidia, Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund, Jeff Bezos (through Bezos Expeditions), Parkway Venture Capital, Intel
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Today Figure confirmed long-standing rumors that it’s raising more money than God. The Bay Area–based robotics firm has announced a $675 million Series B on a $2.6 billion valuation. The lineup of investors is equally impressive, including Microsoft, OpenAI Startup Fund, Nvidia, Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund, Jeff Bezos (through Bezos Expeditions), Parkway Venture Capital, Intel […]
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Host a tailored Side Event at Early Stage 2024 in Boston
Looking to make a splash at TechCrunch Early Stage 2024? Our Side Events initiative is a fantastic opportunity to engage with Boston’s tech community in a dynamic and memorable manner. Plus, we’ll assist in promoting your event at no cost to you! Submit your event here by March 20. Throw your own Side Event at
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Looking to make a splash at TechCrunch Early Stage 2024? Our Side Events initiative is a fantastic opportunity to engage with Boston’s tech community in a dynamic and memorable manner. Plus, we’ll assist in promoting your event at no cost to you! Submit your event here by March 20. Throw your own Side Event at […]
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Some Arizonans Face Rising Power Bills and a New Fee for Going Solar – CNET
When utilities charge you money for having your own solar panels, it changes the math on going solar. How to tell if it’s still worthwhile.
When utilities charge you money for having your own solar panels, it changes the math on going solar. How to tell if it’s still worthwhile.
Smart Rings Are Picking Up Where Fitness Trackers Left Off – CNET
Commentary: Smartwatches overtook fitness bands, but smart rings are showing up as the new simple fitness tracker.
Commentary: Smartwatches overtook fitness bands, but smart rings are showing up as the new simple fitness tracker.
Home Inspections: Why Homebuyers Should Never Skip Them – CNET
A home inspection tells you what costs, repairs and maintenance your home needs immediately and in the future.
A home inspection tells you what costs, repairs and maintenance your home needs immediately and in the future.
You Can’t Stop Dust, but You Can Slow It Down. Here’s How – CNET
Dust is the great equalizer: Nobody can escape it completely. These spring cleaning tips will reduce dust buildup in your home and eradicate it more completely when it does.
Dust is the great equalizer: Nobody can escape it completely. These spring cleaning tips will reduce dust buildup in your home and eradicate it more completely when it does.
Ford offers EV owners free Tesla Supercharger adapters until July
Let me adapt that for you. | Image: Ford
Starting today, people who own electric vehicles from Ford can reserve an adapter that will enable them to charge at Tesla’s vastly superior Supercharger network.
The company is the first to distribute adapters to customers, after announcing last year its plans to adopt Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector for its EVs. Other automakers soon followed Ford’s lead, leading to a massive shift toward Tesla’s standardized version of its proprietary charging system.
The adapter, which is manufactured by Tesla and allows EVs equipped with Combined Charging System (CCS 1) outlets to use Tesla’s Superchargers, typically retails for $230. But Ford is offering the first adapter to its EV customers free of charge — at least for a while.
The adapter typically retails for $230
“This will more than double our access to fast charging within the US and Canada with the addition of greater than 15,000 chargers with the Tesla Supercharger network,” Ken Williams, director of charging and energy services at Ford, told reporters.
Ford said the adapters will be complimentary starting today for a period until July 1st. After that, customers will need to pay $230, plus taxes and shipping, to acquire the adapter. Customers can reserve an adapter through their FordPass smartphone app.
To be sure, not every customer will receive an adapter right away. Ford is reliant on Tesla to make enough adapters to meet demand — and the company is expecting supply to be limited in the early stages.
“We are supply constrained as we move forward,” Williams said. “We do believe that in the initial phases of launch, the demand will exceed supply, but we’re going to try to manage that demand on a first-come-first-serve basis.”
For years, Tesla Superchargers were exclusive to Tesla owners. In fact, that was one of Tesla’s main selling points: consistent, exclusive, and abundant EV charging. But eventually, the company started offering access to non-Tesla EVs, first in Europe and then in the US after the Biden administration said it would be a prerequisite to tap into some of the $7.5 billion for EV charging in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he never intended the Supercharger network to be a “walled garden.”
“We are supply constrained as we move forward.”
Tesla’s Supercharger network is widely recognized as superior to many of the third-party EV charging stations, most of which feature CCS plugs and the less utilized CHAdeMO charging standard. The company says it has 55,000 Superchargers worldwide, 15,000 of which are located in the US.
Ford said that its customers can access the “vast majority” of Tesla’s network using the adapter, Williams said. Older V2 Superchargers, as well as some V3 stalls, won’t be available to Ford owners.
For safety, adapters are limited in how much voltage they can handle and tend to charge more slowly than a direct connection. Ford said that its electric vehicles are capable of receiving “their maximum charge” while using Tesla Superchargers but wouldn’t comment on how the rate of charge compares to a direct connection.
The adapters are intended to only be a short-term solution to the problem of EV charging availability and reliability. Non-Tesla EV owners have reported problems with public chargers, including buggy software, broken chargers, and unavailable locations. Tesla, by comparison, has some of the highest rates of operability in the industry.
Eventually, Ford and other automakers have said they will produce EVs with factory-installed Tesla NACS ports, obviating the need for adapters. Those vehicles aren’t expected to come any sooner than 2025.
Let me adapt that for you. | Image: Ford
Starting today, people who own electric vehicles from Ford can reserve an adapter that will enable them to charge at Tesla’s vastly superior Supercharger network.
The company is the first to distribute adapters to customers, after announcing last year its plans to adopt Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector for its EVs. Other automakers soon followed Ford’s lead, leading to a massive shift toward Tesla’s standardized version of its proprietary charging system.
The adapter, which is manufactured by Tesla and allows EVs equipped with Combined Charging System (CCS 1) outlets to use Tesla’s Superchargers, typically retails for $230. But Ford is offering the first adapter to its EV customers free of charge — at least for a while.
“This will more than double our access to fast charging within the US and Canada with the addition of greater than 15,000 chargers with the Tesla Supercharger network,” Ken Williams, director of charging and energy services at Ford, told reporters.
Ford said the adapters will be complimentary starting today for a period until July 1st. After that, customers will need to pay $230, plus taxes and shipping, to acquire the adapter. Customers can reserve an adapter through their FordPass smartphone app.
To be sure, not every customer will receive an adapter right away. Ford is reliant on Tesla to make enough adapters to meet demand — and the company is expecting supply to be limited in the early stages.
“We are supply constrained as we move forward,” Williams said. “We do believe that in the initial phases of launch, the demand will exceed supply, but we’re going to try to manage that demand on a first-come-first-serve basis.”
For years, Tesla Superchargers were exclusive to Tesla owners. In fact, that was one of Tesla’s main selling points: consistent, exclusive, and abundant EV charging. But eventually, the company started offering access to non-Tesla EVs, first in Europe and then in the US after the Biden administration said it would be a prerequisite to tap into some of the $7.5 billion for EV charging in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he never intended the Supercharger network to be a “walled garden.”
Tesla’s Supercharger network is widely recognized as superior to many of the third-party EV charging stations, most of which feature CCS plugs and the less utilized CHAdeMO charging standard. The company says it has 55,000 Superchargers worldwide, 15,000 of which are located in the US.
Ford said that its customers can access the “vast majority” of Tesla’s network using the adapter, Williams said. Older V2 Superchargers, as well as some V3 stalls, won’t be available to Ford owners.
For safety, adapters are limited in how much voltage they can handle and tend to charge more slowly than a direct connection. Ford said that its electric vehicles are capable of receiving “their maximum charge” while using Tesla Superchargers but wouldn’t comment on how the rate of charge compares to a direct connection.
The adapters are intended to only be a short-term solution to the problem of EV charging availability and reliability. Non-Tesla EV owners have reported problems with public chargers, including buggy software, broken chargers, and unavailable locations. Tesla, by comparison, has some of the highest rates of operability in the industry.
Eventually, Ford and other automakers have said they will produce EVs with factory-installed Tesla NACS ports, obviating the need for adapters. Those vehicles aren’t expected to come any sooner than 2025.
GitHub Besieged By Millions of Malicious Repositories In Ongoing Attack
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: GitHub is struggling to contain an ongoing attack that’s flooding the site with millions of code repositories. These repositories contain obfuscated malware that steals passwords and cryptocurrency from developer devices, researchers said. The malicious repositories are clones of legitimate ones, making them hard to distinguish to the casual eye. An unknown party has automated a process that forks legitimate repositories, meaning the source code is copied so developers can use it in an independent project that builds on the original one. The result is millions of forks with names identical to the original one that add a payload that’s wrapped under seven layers of obfuscation. To make matters worse, some people, unaware of the malice of these imitators, are forking the forks, which adds to the flood.
“Most of the forked repos are quickly removed by GitHub, which identifies the automation,” Matan Giladi and Gil David, researchers at security firm Apiiro, wrote Wednesday. “However, the automation detection seems to miss many repos, and the ones that were uploaded manually survive. Because the whole attack chain seems to be mostly automated on a large scale, the 1% that survive still amount to thousands of malicious repos.” Given the constant churn of new repos being uploaded and GitHub’s removal, it’s hard to estimate precisely how many of each there are. The researchers said the number of repos uploaded or forked before GitHub removes them is likely in the millions. They said the attack “impacts more than 100,000 GitHub repositories.” GitHub issued the following statement: “GitHub hosts over 100M developers building across over 420M repositories, and is committed to providing a safe and secure platform for developers. We have teams dedicated to detecting, analyzing, and removing content and accounts that violate our Acceptable Use Policies. We employ manual reviews and at-scale detections that use machine learning and constantly evolve and adapt to adversarial tactics. We also encourage customers and community members to report abuse and spam.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: GitHub is struggling to contain an ongoing attack that’s flooding the site with millions of code repositories. These repositories contain obfuscated malware that steals passwords and cryptocurrency from developer devices, researchers said. The malicious repositories are clones of legitimate ones, making them hard to distinguish to the casual eye. An unknown party has automated a process that forks legitimate repositories, meaning the source code is copied so developers can use it in an independent project that builds on the original one. The result is millions of forks with names identical to the original one that add a payload that’s wrapped under seven layers of obfuscation. To make matters worse, some people, unaware of the malice of these imitators, are forking the forks, which adds to the flood.
“Most of the forked repos are quickly removed by GitHub, which identifies the automation,” Matan Giladi and Gil David, researchers at security firm Apiiro, wrote Wednesday. “However, the automation detection seems to miss many repos, and the ones that were uploaded manually survive. Because the whole attack chain seems to be mostly automated on a large scale, the 1% that survive still amount to thousands of malicious repos.” Given the constant churn of new repos being uploaded and GitHub’s removal, it’s hard to estimate precisely how many of each there are. The researchers said the number of repos uploaded or forked before GitHub removes them is likely in the millions. They said the attack “impacts more than 100,000 GitHub repositories.” GitHub issued the following statement: “GitHub hosts over 100M developers building across over 420M repositories, and is committed to providing a safe and secure platform for developers. We have teams dedicated to detecting, analyzing, and removing content and accounts that violate our Acceptable Use Policies. We employ manual reviews and at-scale detections that use machine learning and constantly evolve and adapt to adversarial tactics. We also encourage customers and community members to report abuse and spam.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.