First Time Using New Adapter at Tesla Supercharger - Lightning Mike

Does the A2Z adapter work?
Is it true that the A2Z adapter is a tight fit?
Does the Ford Lightning charge with the Ford Adapter at a Tesla Supercharger?
Can you charge an F150 lightning at a Tesla charger?
Does tesla superchargers allow non-Teslas to charge?
Is it easy to charge a Tesla supercharger?
How to charge a Tesla charging station?
How to use the Tesla app to find charging stations for non-Tesla vehicles?
Can I use the Tesla app if I don’t own a tesla?
Can I charge a Tesla supercharger if I don’t own a tesla?
How far can a 2023 Ford Lightning drive on a single charge?
Have you ever wondered how to improve the range or even if you can improve the range of your EV?
Can you take a road trip in a F150 Ford Lightning?
Do you have to have a Tesla membership to charge at a Tesla supercharger?
Which Tesla superchargers are available to non-Tesla vehicles?
What do I do if Tesla charger is not working?
In this video we are discussing my first experience with charging my F150 lightning at a Tesla supercharger with my new A2Z adapter. As you can see, it does not work easily right away. But I am going to show you what to do if the adapter is not working Tesla supercharger is not working.
The 2023 Ford F150 Lightning Lariat trim is such an awesome truck. You can even take a road trip with confidence. If you leave it in sport mode, the regenerative braking will help extend the range whether you are driving in town or on a highway.

[@grifftech]

Great video, I got my A2Z in yesterday and have been wanting to try it out!

[@F150LightningMike]

Hope the video helped you know what to expect. Let me know how it goes. :-)

[@minutemantraining508]

Sorry Mike, but I was laughing because I went through the same exact process. My solution was to bang the adapter and NACS connector into the tire to seat the connector into the A2Z adapter far enough to allow the locking mechanism to operate. Excellent video. Keep up the good work.

[@F150LightningMike]

Thank you. I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one with issues. Your solution made me laugh too. lol

[@Missdumplings25]

Plug the adapter into the car first. Then take the Tesla plug and plug it in fast and hard. Works easier like that to lock in.

[@F150LightningMike]

Might be a good idea, but I’m not sure I want to try it that way because of how tight of a fit it is. Also I don’t want me pushing on the cord into the adapter to damage my port. Does it work better for you?

[@MikeKlimek-jj6qt]

Just got my A2Z pro and worked on first try. Was not sure about the charge and pay. The new A2Z pro you put in the truck first and then the tesla into it. Works great.

[@F150LightningMike]

I might have to buy the new one then. I think they just updated it after I bought mine. :-)

[@maheshpatel1644]

Where do you buy A2Z pro from? Plz n thank u..!

[@maheshpatel1644]

Did**

[@MikeKlimek-jj6qt]

@@maheshpatel1644 just google A2z will come up.

[@bryanberch1824]

I had the same problem connecting and called A2Z. Get the Tesla adapter started and slam it in because of the tight tolerances. May take 3 or 4 tries the first time then after that it will be easier. That is to stop arcing in the adapter.

[@F150LightningMike]

I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one having problems with it.

[@Magicinstalls]

I did buy the electron, and it had its own problems. The first one nacs connector pulled right out. Second one was great! I have a Mustang Mach e, and an E transit for work. The E transit range is horrible at around 100 charging at 95%. I no longer have to worry about the low range thanks to this adapter. I decided to pay Tesla the $12 a month subscription so that I can get a $.38 per kilowatt hour price. So I always charge through Tesla app

[@F150LightningMike]

That’s great to hear that the Lectron adapter worked for you the second time. I’ve definitely heard mixed reviews about those for sure.

[@msh104utube]

There are so many "That's what she said." jokes to be made in this video: "Man, it's in there tight.", "That doesn't fit as well as I think it should..." LOL!

[@F150LightningMike]

Im glad I made you laugh :-)

[@MarcB707]

Just got adapter yesterday, also took me several tries in multiple stations to get the lock to sit just right. But once you hit that sweet spot it starts right up PnP for me. Hopefully adapter just needs some breaking in. Used it twice so far and it took a bunch of tries each time before it starts up. Once to just test it and another session 21-80% in 35 min.

[@F150LightningMike]

Yeah I think it just needs a little breaking in too.

[@LJLion]

You have to yank it in and slide the lock down. I've had mine for 2 months now . Ford shows the Kw pricing on the app if you click on any charger and you get a summary once you stop charging using the button on the truck.

[@F150LightningMike]

Thank you that is helpful.

[@DennisMiller-m4y]

Can't stop charging from the app. It's not good, but can you stop charging from inside the truck?

[@F150LightningMike]

Not sure, I haven’t tried looking for that since I can just stop with the unlock button.

[@Magicinstalls]

No one just shows up at a supercharger (other than me) for a non-Tesla and expect to charge. You have to find it on the map first

[@F150LightningMike]

That’s true you do need to look up the availability of chargers on the Tesla app. It also will show up on CarPlay and the Ford navigation.

[@Magicinstalls]

@@F150LightningMike my dumb ass didn't do that. I showed up to a brand new supercharger up the street from me, and they have not activated it for other brands yet.

[@F150LightningMike]

lol That’s funny. I’m sure you’re not the only one to do it. The charger I tested was new and happened to be in the same parking lot near where I was eating. So I was like I guess I should make a video and test this out. I checked on the app and it was on the list. So that was awesome.

[@danclary6609]

I dont have the tesla update so I have to use the tesla app. Maybe its me, but it freezes all the time

[@F150LightningMike]

I’m sorry to hear that, maybe reinstalling your app might help. Ford has been pretty slow with sending out the updates, but when mine did not work the last time on the automatic update, I just updated it manually and it worked.

[@CovenantElite83]

What kind of watch band are you using?

[@F150LightningMike]

It is a Martin & MacArther Koa wood band from Hawaii. Here’s a link. www.martinandmacarthur.com/products/koa-black-apple-watch-band?_pos=2&_sid=9d02587bf&_ss=r

[@deltoncbaker]

I got my Lectron adapter about two weeks ago. It doesn't a lock switch, just a push lever button. They say to plug the adapter to the truck first, then attach the Tesla NACS to the truck last. I first was in Amarillo, Texas and used a Tesla charger with absolutely no problems. I then traveled to Lubbock, Texas, because their chargers came up on the Tesla app. But the charger keeps stopping for an error. The best I could gleam was the adapter was overheating. I watched two Tesla Model 3's charge while my adapter cooled off. They started charging at about 89 kilowatt per hour. My truck adapter finally cooled off, but the charger throttled it to 32 kilowatts per hour. I think the pins in the NACS cable were bad. The same day I drove to Roswell, and the truck accepted 106 kilowatts per hour from a CCS charger that claimed it only put out 100 kilowatts per hour. I learned from your video how to use the Tesla app for my membership price. I think turning off the auto start in the Ford app will help. I tried to use the Tesla app, and it would claim the station was already in use even though I started the Tesla app first. Ford was high jacking the charger from Tesla.

[@F150LightningMike]

This is good info Delton thank you. Yeah I heard overheating was a problem with the Lectron one. I’m not sure if that was the reason for the recall, but you might want to double check if yours falls under the recall and get a replacement if so. My A2Z adapter did not seem hot at all. Just the locking issue.

[@jockpc]

getting my ford adpter today but i dont have truck i got a esape 1.5 st dang little car is preety cool

[@F150LightningMike]

Not a huge fan of the looks, but I like driving the escapes too.

[@jockpc]

@@F150LightningMike I got my adapter but truck still In shop

[@F150LightningMike]

I’m sorry to hear that. Any word yet on what’s wrong?

[@jockpc]

@@F150LightningMike no sir had the drive Tran wrench on.Whst I think is the charge inverter has a problem when charging on ac the truck has a inverter to convert to dc But we see

[@jockpc]

Miss printed

[@MrQuidy]

30 minutes of guy plugging the plug and failing, peak EV content. Why the f... yt recommends this lol

[@F150LightningMike]

I’m just glad it finally worked. Thanks for watching.

[@nicosilva4750]

Good grief! Remove huge banner. So difficult to see your video.

[@F150LightningMike]

Thanks for the comment. It’s actually only up for the first 1:30. Then it goes away, but I’ll keep that in mind for future videos.

[@raymondclark8584]

Your video definitely made me know what to expect. The first time plugging that adapter in it was super tough. After doing it a couple times it’s now easier to plug in. Was able to charge with the Tesla app but never was able to just do plug and play.

[@F150LightningMike]

I’m happy the video helped. I think plug n play only works if you have the update on the truck and the plug n play turned on in the Ford app and the Ford app connected with a form of payment. If you have all of those things I’m not sure why it didn’t work for you. Regardless I still like using the Tesla app to start charging because it’s so much cheaper.

[@meadmaker4525]

I appreciate that Tesla opened up their supercharger network for Ford EVs, but, man, it should not be that hard to use. Definitely need a little vaseline or something to help that adapter click in properly. And the Tesla app definitely looked smoother and more intuitive to use. I'm looking hard at a Lightning Flash right now, so this kind of stuff is helping me make my decision. The Tesla supercharger network is probably the most reliable network out there, compared to the EA/CCS1 mess, etc. Some people say Ford supplies you with a home charger if you buy this truck, but I can't confirm that anywhere. Still gotta figure that part out. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[@F150LightningMike]

Thanks for watching. As far as your home charger. The ‘23 trims with the max battery package came with a free pro charger at home, which I have. I think with the 2024 models. It is an additional cost. The other thing to consider is that the Ford Pro charger will require an electrician to come install it so you will have to plan for that cost as well estimates that I got were anywhere from $1400-$1800. So I went a different route and had an electrician just install a 240 V plug that I have connected to my portable charger, which I also got free, and I think Ford charges a little bit for that now too. so that decision only cost me $400 and I have the Ford Pro charger just sitting in a box in my garage. :-). The portable charger doesn’t charge as fast, but it has still worked pretty well for me for a year and a half and almost 40,000 miles.

[@F150LightningMike]

Here is the video I made about my setup at home. Charge Ford Lightning at Home. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKfUfqaGfJytj6M

[@StephenJohnson-jr5hp]

Charged our Mach-e GT yesterday at a local Tesla Supercharger using our new adapter, no problems. Our trip planning just got more easy and safe.

[@F150LightningMike]

Great job! I’m happy it worked for you. Which adapter do you have?

[@twocupstwodrams7535]

Lectron Vortex

[@F150LightningMike]

Awesome … I’ve heard those get hot. Is it true?

[@twocupstwodrams7535]

@@F150LightningMike, hasn't been my experience, yet

[@F150LightningMike]

Good to know. Thanks

[@jockpc]

mike my ford adpter is on way be here monday but my truck is in shop unnone isuse brand new tires on it in slidell la got a ford claim number they have gave me a espape car till fixed ford supply car i got bumper bumper so they get it fixed i hope

[@F150LightningMike]

Yeah I hope they figure out what’s wrong soon too. Have they given you any idea what the problem might be? Does it have anything to do with the extra battery and solar you connected? At least you finally got your adapter though. :-)

[@enhancehomeimprovementstoo1802]

Do you need the tesla app to charge your ford

[@F150LightningMike]

If you have the latest update where it works as plug n play and you have that turned on in your Ford app. You should not need to have the Tesla app. I just like the Tesla app because it can be cheaper if you get the membership.

[@biztransitioncoach]

Given the alternative Lectron adapter has been recalled due to a faulty locking mechanism, I'm glad the A2Z locks on solidly. The risk of damaging your vehicle is pretty significant if things go wrong! I've had the A2Z for about a month and used it about 10 times without fail - other than being at an old Tesla charging station where it didn't work my fault, I should have looked on the Ford or Tesla app, but I simply pulled in off the highway...

[@F150LightningMike]

I'm really glad that it worked for you. Yeah I agree that the lock situation is important because I definitely don't want anything to mess up for sure.

[@patrickreid9823]

I too had the same issue with connecting and reached out to A2Z. They sent me video with the recommendation to lightly seat the adpater and then 'snap' hard to connect. I could then slide into the lock position.

[@F150LightningMike]

That’s good advice. I think that’s what I did to finally get it to work. :-)

[@williampieper2980]

Same for me. I called A2Z. Problem is you need to SNAP adapter quickly and strongly (NOT slowly) into Tesla. Then it goes all the way in and you can lock it.

[@paulrybarczyk5013]

Same. The lock button is poorly designed, and very tight initially. I had to flip mine a bunch of times to get it to loosen up. To use it, shove the Tesla connector in as hard as you can. Then lock it. If you can pull it back out, it’s not locked. If you can’t pull it out, it should be locked and you can connect it to the truck. Until I figured all this out, I had several failures.

[@F150LightningMike]

Yeah I think that’s how it finally worked for me too.

[@Timbucktoo32]

You're scaring me bro

[@F150LightningMike]

Sorry :-)

[@ThomasRSmith-og7zo]

I heard that the 2024 models made after April will all have the Tesla charging port built into the lightning. Which is going to be great. My brother has a red 2024 Lariat but it was built in February and still has the crappy Ford charging port. I have a Tesla Model Y and it's super easy to charge . No need for bulky adapters that are difficult to manage . As soon as the Lightning is available with the Tesla port I will buy one

[@F150LightningMike]

I haven’t heard the 24 models are coming out with it. I thought it wasn’t until Model year 2025. I’ll look it up and try to figure it out.

[@MikeKlimek-jj6qt]

The 2024 or 2025 not going to have them.

[@ThomasRSmith-og7zo]

@@F150LightningMike Thank You

[@F150LightningMike]

All I am finding right now is that it is supposed to start with model year 2025, which they should start releasing sometime at the end of this year. That is not from a Ford source it is just from a few different news outlets so there is a chance that it will not be true because there are also rumors that the new port might not be till the redesign, which is now being pushed out to ‘27 model year.

[@richardkuzyk2988]

Just wondering, how long ago did you order your Ford adapter? I ordered the Ford adapter about 3 weeks ago and still haven't received it.

[@F150LightningMike]

I ordered mine February 29th, and it still says that it is shipping in July. The A2Z adapter that I showed in this video took about a month to get from the time I order it. If you placed your reservation for the adapter with Ford they will send you a reservation confirmation and have an estimated shipping date on there. If you just place it in May I’m guessing you won’t receive yours till October or November.

[@fortean]

I ordered mine from Ford in April. Since then when I check on it it says shipping in August

[@F150LightningMike]

Mine is still saying July so let’s hope that happens.

[@bob-qi4nr]

What a joke, EV's suck.

[@F150LightningMike]

I like mine. Here is my 1 year review where I talk about all the pluses and minuses: 1 year - 26k mile - Review - Ford Lightning kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4uQm5h7r9WeZtk

[@TristenHernandez]

Mike! Thanks again for all these great videos. I have a very important question since I’m buying my Ford lightning either this month or in July. Have you done any videos about ensuring it? I’m worried about the insurance being really high. I’m in New York so I might be a different story, but I’m hoping, you can give some insight that might save us all some money.

[@F150LightningMike]

Yeah I think insurance is different for every state for sure. They also base it on the person with driving record and such. I should do a video about it, but until then here's some information that might help you. I looked at the rates for soon after getting the truck, and I was paying $1,717 for a 6 month premium. It has gone up a little bit since then because rates keep increasing in Colorado, but for comparison at the same time I paid $1,248 for a six month premium for my 2022 Toyota Sienna. Keep in mind the value of the truck is at least 30K higher than the Sienna so that accounts for the difference in my mind. I don't know how rates compare between Colorado and New York, but in general Colorado weather keeps rates pretty high here.

[@fortean]

We have been using the A2Z as well. At first we could not get it to lock as the fit on the Tesla charger was so tight. We had to use a little WD-40 on our finger the first few times so that it would fit enough to click. After a few times we no longer had to do this. One note, we found a Tesla station in the Outer Banks that would not hand shake with the truck. So far it's the only one that we found that doesn't work with the Ford. Who knows when we will receive our adapter from Ford?

[@F150LightningMike]

I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one with A2Z adapter issues. As far as the Ford adapter, mine says July, but no word yet, and I’ve heard they are still filling the May and June deliveries. I ordered mine the first day, but apparently a few hours after everyone else. :-)

[@silvershooter555]

Very timely video! Released on June 2, and my A2Z adapter is being delivered June 3. Thanks for the heads-up on the tight fit. I've got my Tesla app set up and will be trying out the adapter as soon as UPS drops it off. 🙂

[@F150LightningMike]

Awesome! Thanks for watching. I hope it works easier for you than it did for me. Either way let me know. I’d like to hear about it.

[@sharonc3439]

Thank you! So incredibly helpful.

[@F150LightningMike]

Thank you for watching Sharon. I’m happy it is helpful.

[@JG-er5us]

Hi Mike, regarding the ford app, you must have a big stop button there to tap. I use it all the time. I mean the updated app.

[@F150LightningMike]

I didn’t see one, but this was my first experience with the plug in play. So I could have missed it, but I really did look.

[@martywhite3857]

Have been all over the country in my Tesla model 3, just pull up and plug in. Now I’m comfortable with a lightning that I can purchase one and use superchargers. Thank you Ford/ and thank you for a great video!!!

[@F150LightningMike]

Awesome! Thank you for watching. You will love the lightning on road trips. I’m taking another one this summer, so I will post some videos about that. In the meantime I do have some videos about my 4k mile roadtrip last summer.

[@F150LightningMike]

Here’s one of the videos from last summer: Ford Lightning Road Trip - Day 7 - Part 3 - Biggest Buc-ee’s in the world kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJbXaZpsoaeeedk

[@williampieper2980]

it was LECTRON that had recall, not A2Z unless this is very new recall.

[@F150LightningMike]

You are correct. A2Z did Not have a recall that’s why I bought it. It is just a little difficult to use.

[@jjj32801]

Welcome to Tesla World. Thanks for financing the construction of new chargers.

[@F150LightningMike]

Good point. I’m happy to be part of the Tesla family even if I’m just a distant cousin :-)

[@AppleFanX2]

Very informative video as usual. Thanks Mike! Regards, Lindsay 🔋

[@F150LightningMike]

Thank you Lindsay.

[@JesseSteinfort]

I appreciate that you showed the struggles and not just the happy path.

[@F150LightningMike]

Thanks. Yeah if I had trouble with it, I figured I’m not the only one.

[@Bry279]

I'm about to go a on trip to Utah. Do you NEED the update for this to work? First time I'm hearing you need the update to charge. I was going to use the Tesla app and select the station and plug in. If someone could clarify this it would be very helpful. I have a feeling a software update is not required as people were using this day one when they got the adapter even pre release.

[@F150LightningMike]

You should NOT need the update to use the app to start the charging, but plug and play version will not work without the update. Either way it’s very important BEFORE you go on a trip to go to a supercharger near you and test it. You don’t have to charge that much or very long on your test. Just make sure that it works for you. that’s one of the main reasons for me doing this video is I don’t wanna get stuck not knowing what I’m doing on a trip.

[@Bry279]

@@F150LightningMike thank you. I do have one here in Boise but it does not support other vehicles at the moment. Next closest one is my first stop hundreds of miles away in Burley ID. Good news is they have EA there too so if all else fails.

[@F150LightningMike]

EA is a good backup. Couple things to do before you go. 1) make sure your Tesla app is set up correctly understanding that you have an adapter. 2) sign up for a Tesla membership then cancel it after your trip is done. It will save you a little bit, just like the EA membership does.

[@StephenJohnson-jr5hp]

P.S Cost less than Electrify America, 3 cents less.

[@F150LightningMike]

Good point. Last summer when I took a road trip Electrify America was a pretty cheap option if you had a membership, but they have definitely raised their prices recently.

[@vernparks1366]

Mike what was the small charger, from Lectron?

[@F150LightningMike]

It was also a A2z charger. They came together as a kit.

[@trevor108]

You should check out Pikes Peak tomorrow morning. It's Ford's last day of Hill Climb practice with their modified F150 Lightning.

[@F150LightningMike]

That’s a great idea. I’ve looked to try to find the schedule but all I see is race week schedule June 17 - 24. Do you know where to find the info?

[@trevor108]

@F150LightningMike I don't think it's posted anywhere. A guy I work with is one of the course volunteers. I think Ford wrapped up today, but if I get more info, I'll let you know.

[@F150LightningMike]

That would be awesome to even be able to meet the team and do a video about it on the channel. You know even if I can’t meet them it might be a good idea to drive on the pikes peak highway if it’s open to the public and see how much energy it uses and regen going up and down.

[@trevor108]

@F150LightningMike I sent you a Facebook message with some details. Easier to communicate there.

[@F150LightningMike]

Thank you.

[@ph7346]

Hello Mike! I'm in Eastern Washington I want a full loaded Lariat max tow 320 range. I want the cheapest deal there. Washington State has another 5k in a rebate coming in Aug. What's the best deal out there? Thank you!!

[@F150LightningMike]

The best way to find vehicles nationwide is a nationwide search on autotrader.com or cars.com. The discounts come in several ways, Ford itself, the actual dealer, as well as state credits that might change as you are referring to. The trick with ford is that you need to figure out which trim level they are offering discounts on each month. Sometimes they are on the 2023s still on the lot. Other times it’s ordering the new 2024s. The other thing to look out for with the dealership deals is they may say they are offering a discount, but they might be including the federal and state rebates. In Colorado that’s 7,500 federal and 5,000 for state. So if I was going to get a new one and the dealer is only offering 12,500 discount then I know the dealer is not adding anything else. It’s not to say that $12,500 is a bad deal, it’s just a tip to help in negotiating. Just make sure you ask the dealer for a list of what all the discounts are. Now back on the Ford thing just look on their website and they willl usually have the latest information on which trim is getting a discount. If it’s not there then the Ford dealers should know. Hope that helps.

[@ph7346]

YOUR THE MAN! THANK YOU MY FRIEND!

[@F150LightningMike]

Sure thing. Let me know what works for you. Id like to hear what kind of deal you can get. Remember that you are not stuck with only using your local dealer. Also check the ratings on the dealer. Sometimes they are pretty shady. I’ve heard of people thinking they were getting a deal and travel somewhere to find out the dealer changed its mind and they could do anything about it because they didn’t have the deal in writing. So make sure whatever you do is in writing.

[@bernardduffey649]

Thank you

[@F150LightningMike]

You’re welcome!

[@rzjk301]

A2z has a recall on its adapter

[@williampieper2980]

I know Lectron had the recall. I have A2Z and Lectron and have not received a Recall on A2Z.

[@rickdykstra4518]

Like others stated. It gets easier after 2-3 times of using. You notice the difference rather quickly and then you’ll have no problems:) I do believe the truck has to have the download even to use the Tesla app. It communicates with Tesla so Tesla gives the vehicle permission to charge, or what they call the handshake.

[@F150LightningMike]

I believe the recall is only on the Lectron.

[@F150LightningMike]

@rickdykstra4518. I agree it will probably be easier to use the next time I use it. I’m not sure on the software download because I was able to use the magic dock superchargers with the app before I had the update. You might be right though.

[@rickdykstra4518]

Yes, anybody can use the magic dock with the Tesla app. Those were designed for everybody.

[@NormalShock]

I made it to 14:28 …. it was painful to watch you NOT trying the adapter on one of the supercharger plugs, just to see if perhaps the adapter was at fault.

[@F150LightningMike]

Yeah, it was pretty painful for me to try different things when the adapter was not working. Sorry I wasn’t able to include in the video testing another station, but I definitely am one to test a lot of different things when something is not working. And I do appreciate you watching.

[@811lily]

The silversdo ev has 450 miles of range..you can actually tow with it and have decent range. Towed 8k travel trailer up to 8600 feet in elevation and made it there with 93 miles of range. Regen down hill i used literally no power and actually gained 2%.battery. WAY better then the lighting and cyber truck

[@F150LightningMike]

I agree that the Chevy EV has the range thing worked out for sure. I haven’t driven one yet so I’m not sure how it compares with everything else, but I would love to do a comparison video if you or anyone else wants to meet up and do that sometime.

[@MikeKlimek-jj6qt]

But that truck is like $120,000 dollars so not sure who can buy them. But looks pretty good.

[@CraigCollins]

You need to disable Ford plug and play for Tesla app to work.

[@F150LightningMike]

I didn’t have to.