Relocating to Seattle - Charging options?

[Bukes]

Greetings -

I'll soon be relocating from the Los Angeles area to the South Lake Union area Seattle for a job with a fairly-large-online-shopping-company :biggrin:.

Until we find a permanent home, we'll be living in a temporary/corporate apartment in South Lake Union area. It's not clear yet if there are charging facilities available where we'll be staying, so I'm exloring other opportunities. Blink? NRG? What are the best options? Any local insight would be great.

 

[goneskiian]

Have you checked plugshare? Pretty sure you'll have a few options. ;-)

 

[Bukes]

Thanks for the heads up on PlugShare. This is exactly what I was after.

 

[ww73]

Looks like Amzn has a few chargers.

For free chargers, my favs on the Eastside are:

1. Nytec Labs in Kirkland has free 80A J1772s, especially if u have dual chargers.
2. Curtis Consulting Group in Issaquah

Otherwise, Tesla has a store in SLU and in Bellevue, and they will probably let you charge there as well.

 

[Bukes]

@ww73 - Thanks for the tips; local knowledge is always appreciated.

 

[ThortsMD]

Tesla's first Service center/store is still active in south Lake Union on Westlake, and they have HPWC's there, I believe (although you don't want to make that a habit...you'll get a letter from Tesla!)

 

[olanmills]

A lot of parking garages in the area have at least a couple chargers now, and sometimes, they're even free. In the Puget Sound area, we generally have Blink or Chargepoint chargers, so you might want to register for those so that you can have their NFC cards to use. You might also want to check if your temporary apartment has any 110V outlets nearby any parking spaces and see if you can get permission to use it.

 

[blackgold9]

Are Chademo chargers a thing? Should I be trying to get dual chargers or a Chademo adapter? The longest drives I think I'll be taking in my 70d would be to Vancouver/Whistler and to Leavenworth.

 

[PhilBa]

yes, you want dual chargers and the chademo adapter. I have a P85 and find both beneficial. There are 70 and 80 amp Level II (HAL2) chargers as well as chademos. The HAL2s are on the Cascade Loop (goes through Levenworth) and are free. There are lots of chademos scattered around the Northwest as well. There is one in Leavenworth, lots in the seattle area and a fair number in BC Go to plug share and deselect everything except high power stations. You will see only chademos and SCs.

Many of the chademos are offered by aerovironment and they have a good deal if you are going to be using them more than twice a month - $20 flat monthly fee. Charge rate is about 50KW so it's fairly quick. Unfortunately, the Seattle area ones are more Blink & chargepoint - not particularly great.

 

[saladman]

We moved up here and our corporate house had an electric dryer. Almost all do. Tell your Relo specialist you have an electric car, and a Dalmatian. Got us moved out of an apartment and into a rented house.

Youll stress a little bit. But it works out, power is plentiful, and people are generally helpful. The biggest change we found was the aggressive behavior at chargers since there are so many electric cars up here. You're not someone special anymore. You just another guy who needs some time at the plug.

I I would totally recommend dual chargers and chademo for life up here and crossings into Canada.

Take me the car on the ferry to Bainbridge. It's a lot of fun to watch your God, and not use one but of power.

 

[blackgold9]

I asked about dual chargers and they downplayed them at the store. Why are they a good idea for the area (I'm moving up and taking delivery of a 70d next month).

 

[blackgold9]

Ahh, just read the previous response. Understood. Thanks!