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Supercharger - Bethesda, MD (Permanently Closed, Oct 2016)

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Thanks for the heads up on location guys! We'd have been wandering a long time otherwise...even knowing it was near Nordstrom's we still went in the wrong garage entrance on the first attempt. Look for the red columns!! That's the first thing you see.

Arrived Sunday evening about 6:15pm. Mall stores were all closed but mall itself was still open as were many of the restaurants outside the food court. Had a lovely dinner at Cali Pizza Kitchen and charged up all by ourselves. Just store cars for company-- and pulled GREAT mph too!

sunday 6-22-2014 8-05-20 PM.JPG
 
Any thoughts on how busy this one might be at noon-1pm on a Sunday? We're driving thru tomorrow and I'm trying to plan whether to hit this one, or deal with the mess at Potomac Mills/Woodbridge instead...

LJ,

I've hit both Bethesda and Woodbridge and neither were too bad really and I was the only car charging at both. For both it was in the middle of the day - don't remember the exact time. If you want to be safe, I'd say go to Woodbridge just because there are a lot more chargers there. That said, distance-wise Bethesda works out better when traveling north. On my way north I went through Bethesda and on the way south I went through Woodbridge.
 
we were there a couple weeks ago on a trip to D.C. the supercharger is located on the ground floor of the parking deck, next to the Montgomery mall. there is a Tesla showroom on the first level of the mall. three of the stalls of the supercharger were occupied by demo cars from the showroom. it's a really congested place. waiting for a staff member to move one car so we could charge was frustrating, until another owner pulled out.
 
yeah, I'm not crazy at all about dealing with Potomac Mills on a Sunday - the traffic is always a mess there. I'm debating whether to just take on a full charge at Glen Allen, and then bust all the way up to Hagerstown. evtripplanner says it's 203 "rated" miles from Glen Allen to Hagerstown, and I normally do better than they estimate, so I'm thinking it's a safe leap. Anyone have thoughts on THAT? ;-)
 
yeah, I'm not crazy at all about dealing with Potomac Mills on a Sunday - the traffic is always a mess there. I'm debating whether to just take on a full charge at Glen Allen, and then bust all the way up to Hagerstown. evtripplanner says it's 203 "rated" miles from Glen Allen to Hagerstown, and I normally do better than they estimate, so I'm thinking it's a safe leap. Anyone have thoughts on THAT? ;-)

Keep in mind it is getting a bit colder, so the range will not be what you are used to.
 
Keep in mind it is getting a bit colder, so the range will not be what you are used to.

EVTripPlanner is pretty good at estimating the extra rated miles needed in cooler temps. Just be careful to put in all the parameters, including the cabin and outside temperatures. What it does not estimate well is the extra energy to preheat the cabin and battery, to fight headwinds, wet/slushy roads, and using the defroster for keep the windshield clear.
 
I was there this morning and the charge rate was very slow. The other supercharger was also in use, but I was only getting 67 mi/hr drawing 55A. The slowest supercharger speed I've ever seen by a huge margin.

If the other stall was also in use you are splitting the rate. Meaning 90kW split between two people. And I believe it favors the person who got their first. But yes, it is quite slow overall. Glad it is there, though, and wish they would expand it!