First Tesla Dealership in Virginia Coming to Tysons Area

Tesla Motor’s plan for its first dealership in the state got supercharged Wednesday when the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved its sales location in Tysons.

At their Nov. 18 meeting, the board signed off on the zoning request for the direct sales and service location at 8500 Tyco Road. The site is near the intersection with Leesburg Pike, and it’s about a quarter mile from the Spring Hill Metro Station.

The firm intends to transform part of an empty industrial warehouse into a sleek sales center. It includes an 8,200 square foot showroom that faces Tyco Road, service bays for repair work and an indoor car wash.

Unlike many dealerships, Tesla will not store its cars for sale outside overnight, although there will be an outdoor area at the back of the dealership to load and unload vehicles.

While the company currently has a showroom in Tysons Corner Center, the high-end EV automaker can’t sell cars from there. It has faced challenges nationwide in its efforts to sell cars directly to consumers. In Virginia, state laws prohibit car manufacturers from being dealers. Last fall, however, Tesla reached a legal agreement with state regulatory agencies to allow for a dealership. Under the terms, Tesla has until March 2015 to open a sales location.

Electric vehicle charging stations are featured in most of the new, urban-style developments approved for Tysons. As an example, Tesla’s dealership sits across from Spring Hill Station, an approximately 7.6 million square foot mixed used development that includes at least one EV recharging station at each parking garage.

The county’s action today rezones a portion of the 7-acre site from industrial to commercial space, allowing for a dealership. Tesla will be able to use about 49,000 square feet in the existing warehouse. However, the entire property may be redeveloped in the future in conjunction with adjacent lots, according to the owners.

Under Fairfax County’s transformation plan, Tysons will become Fairfax’s “downtown.” A

PHOTO: Tesla photo courtesy of Fairfax County