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Supercharger - National Harbor, MD
- Thread starter CHRGIT
- Start date
I would consider doing the math to see if the parking cost was actually less than the projected gas cost in an ICE, or even less than the EZ-PASS tolls that I had to pay on my drive -- and then I would shrug my shoulders and realize that I should just get on with my life.
My take. National Harbor is an expensive place to visit regardless and virtually all parking there will costs money. I'd therefore attribute the costs to National Harbor and not supercharging. Instead of parking in a garage, you will now get premium parking for roughly the same price because of having a Tesla. If, like me, National Harbor isn't high on the list of places I like to visit in the DC area, having to pay for parking to charge will likely mean I'll suck it up and go to Woodbridge if I need a supercharger. NH will be a last resort. That sucks because NH would be super convenient and I don't have good charging at home.
I'm hopeful the other Tesla charging locations in DC, will not suffer the same challenge.
Regardless of my feelings, lots of people love visiting National Harbor, so I think having superchargers there and in such a prominent spit will be great for both brands.
Like others have said, I sure hope Tesla finds a way to notify users when a supercharger is in a pay-for-parking location. Getting surprised by a significant parking charge would really annoy me. Plugshare will obviously document the details, but my sense is many Tesla owners do not use plugshare to learn about superchargers.
jcadman22
Tesla Owners Club Maryland
ALL parking at National Harbor is paid. The meters are more expensive than DC at $3/hour. This lot appears to be comparable with the garages at $6/hour. They should definitely put some trash cans and squeegees out for those fees - vacuums would be nice too!
@Lanny lobbies for EV 'equality'
That's fine if you're going there to visit National Harbor. But most of the time whenever I (and I would imagine the majority of Tesla owners) stop at a supercharger its because we're on a roadtrip. Frequently in an area I'm unfamiliar with. If I was going past DC North-South and need to charge, without having read this thread, its quite likely that I would choose to stop here. It appears to be a good location, 495 is only slightly longer than 395-295 and closer to the highway than Woodbridge or Laurel. Getting here and finding out I had to pay, when supercharging is supposed to be free, would piss me off.
Just heard from an official source that NH is planning a ribbon cutting next week. Tentative date is Wednesday afternoon. I'm not saying the specific time because it is still tentative. He says he'll confirm when things firm up. I'll pass on our questions about payment and spot signage. Will let everyone know when I hear of a firm date/time for the ribbon-cutting..
DFibRL8R
Active Member
Savannah GA had similar issues (Superchargers located in a pay lot). There it only costs 2 dollars and able to get validation during normal hours. Will be interesting to see how this works out. Either way would be nice to know in advance if the site is pay to park so can plan accordingly.
Supercharger - Savannah, GA
Bumper
Member
Parking enforcement vehicles at NH are very well marked and easy to spot. If you intend to wait at your car and are solely visiting the SC then I don't see a problem. Simply unplug or chat up the parking person that you are heading out. They are not cops. But if you plug in and walk away to visit a restaurant or something, then why shouldn't you pay for parking just like every other customer at NH? Owning a Tesla is free juice, not free parking. With the upcoming urban SC announced recently, pay to park is going to be the norm. As others have said, if there is a parking ramp that I have to pay to park before I even get into the SC, then I want that noted in on the big screen before I set it in my nav so I have the choice of pay to play or walk away.
It's great parking, but I mindless follow the app when I'm on a long trip. If the nav app avoided paid parking whenever I have "avoid tolls" selected, then I would be happy.
None of the Supercharger spots have the "PAY AT MACHINE" signs.
All of the parking spots that don't have Superchargers have "PAY AT MACHINE" signs.
I think it's pretty clear that they do not intend to charge you to park while Supercharging.
All of the parking spots that don't have Superchargers have "PAY AT MACHINE" signs.
I think it's pretty clear that they do not intend to charge you to park while Supercharging.
Xenoilphobe
Well-Known Member
In several european countries, with a BEV you don't pay for parking, tolls, property or sales tax. They do this to encourage adoption, similar to the old HOV tags the VA DMV used to issue to Hybrids. Frankly they should revise the laws to eliminate the hybrid tags and go BEV only...
Well, right now, there are no new tags in Northern Virginia.
You can still get them for Richmond/Norfolk area, I believe. But SO many people went out and bought hybrids, you can’t get new HOV Exempt plates for up here in Virginia. And when the new I-66 HOT tolling goes up soon, the plates already out there won’t work either, if I recall correctly (hard to keep up with all the changes coming).I do wish we (USA) did more like our friends across the pond did to encourage things! (And I don’t mean license plates... )
jcadman22
Tesla Owners Club Maryland
Nice to see that Tesla is doing ribbon cuttings, but the weekday timing isn't conducive to us working stiffs ;-)
Anyone planning a drive out there? I could go tomorrow or next Sunday.
Anyone planning a drive out there? I could go tomorrow or next Sunday.
JD T
Member
Anything more information on the Ribbon Cutting?
More photos at https://photos.app.goo.gl/6LB4XT4n8k8xzXnP2
More photos at https://photos.app.goo.gl/6LB4XT4n8k8xzXnP2
Stopped by around 2:30 and took some photos and video. The lights are on, on the stalls themselves so they're electrified. But barrier still up. I wonder if they're waiting for the ribbon cutting before they open it up.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/FVZaEIa3LInjXLrv1
@jcadman22 - I'm free tomorrow if they end up opening between now and then.
My contact tells me the official grand opening/ribbon-cutting has now been set for this Tuesday morning at 10 a.m (vice Wednesday as I previously reported).
I sent him a summary of all of the questions we've been debating here. He appreciated the insight. I think there is a good chance he'll provide some answers that I can post.
It doesn't look like they'll open the chargers before that time, but everything looks ready to go. The photo is from about 1 p.m. today. @mrjwen did a nice job capturing the flags that they have surrounding the lots (see the previous post). National Harbor is clearly making this supercharger location a centerpiece of their marketing.
I sent him a summary of all of the questions we've been debating here. He appreciated the insight. I think there is a good chance he'll provide some answers that I can post.
It doesn't look like they'll open the chargers before that time, but everything looks ready to go. The photo is from about 1 p.m. today. @mrjwen did a nice job capturing the flags that they have surrounding the lots (see the previous post). National Harbor is clearly making this supercharger location a centerpiece of their marketing.
@jcadman22, Time has moved to 10 a.m. Tuesday. I think this new time slot is locked-in. The event will include media. I've started an Event page and will post updates there: National Harbor Grand Opening on Tuesday 4 October
Question in general: what SuC openings have ‘ribbon cuttings’? Ones at ‘locations’ like NH? I’ve never heard of this before but I’ve not been near one. Grasonville and others just appeared, of course, but they aren’t on ‘a property’.
Good to have the press coverage, of course!
Good to have the press coverage, of course!
jcadman22
Tesla Owners Club Maryland
There was an official one for Charlottesville a couple weeks ago. The only other one I can think of off the top of my head was for the Hamilton Supercharger in NJ since it was the 100th site.
Half Dollar Bill
Traveller, teacher, poet, accountant, innkeeper
Owners were doing "unofficial" ribbon ceremonies in the past. Until recently, there hasn't been a lot of new openings in the metro area so it's been slow. It appears Tesla is getting involved in doing some coming up and we're trying to be sensitive to not get in their way. But that said, there are sites, like Grasonville and Breezewood where the sites have just gone live. I'm trying to put something together for the fall to honor them properly.
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