EV Charging 101

EV Charging Stations in Gainesville, FL
Skip the gas station and upgrade to one of our sophisticated BMW EVs. Here at BMW of Gainesville, we want to make driving an EV easier than ever, starting with how and where to charge your ride. Charging your electric vehicle is easy — simply plug it into a wall outlet or public charging station and you’re ready to go!
EV drivers now have more options than ever to stay charged on the road. Thanks to a growing nationwide network of public charging stations, you can easily find a convenient place to charge your electric vehicle.
Our team is always ready to help answer any questions you may have about owning an EV, but we’ve also put together a quick guide to assist our guests in getting prepared. Find out more about how and where you can charge your vehicle here.

What is an EV Charging Station?
Drivers can quickly and conveniently recharge their electric vehicles at an EV charging station. There are many public locations for EV charging, as well as the option of home installation. This allows drivers to easily and quickly power up their EVs without any hassle. To take advantage of an EV charging station, you will need to have either a credit or debit card. However, there are also plenty of free EV charging stations available.
In order to make the process even more convenient, there are EV charging apps that drivers can download to their smartphones to locate the closest station quickly and reserve a spot ahead of time. This way, you’ll always be able to find the nearest station available and get your EV charged up as fast as possible.

Charging Options
Let’s take a look at the key differences between Level 1, Level 2 and DC Fast Charging so that you can make an informed decision about which option is best for your needs.

Level 1 Charger
Level 1 charging offers a lower voltage than other options. Level 1 charging utilizes a standard residential 120-volt AC outlet to plug an electric vehicle in. It can take 40-50+ hours for the battery to reach 80 percent of its capacity.1

Level 2 Charger
Level 2 charging stations provide faster charging times compared to Level 1 chargers, making them a popular choice for EV owners. These convenient chargers typically take anywhere from four to 10 hours to go from zero to 80 percent. 1

DC Fast Chargers
DC Fast Chargers, also called Level 3 chargers, provide the quickest and most powerful charging option for electric vehicles in the market today. These chargers can quickly bring an EV battery from zero to 80 percent in as low as 20 minutes. 1

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Gainesville, FL
One of the major benefits for electric vehicle owners in Gainesville is the abundance of charging options available. Various networks, such as ChargePoint, Tesla and Blink, can be easily accessed to ensure your vehicle stays powered up while you’re on the go.
Gainesville boasts a total of 116 public Level 2 and 3 charging stations, with 80 percent of the ports offering Level 2 charging. Additionally, 65 percent of these charging stations offer free charges.2
Here are a couple of the charging locations in Gainesville:
- Target – Gainesville
- Gainesville – NW 39th Ave, FL Supercharger
- Downtown Parking Ramp
Looking for a charging station near you? Visit this link, input your location and you’ll see a map of all the local charging stations in moments.
Hurry to BMW of Gainesville and take a BMW EV for a spin.
If you have additional questions about EV charging stations or a new BMW EV on our lot, contact us today or stop by our dealership at 2853 North Main Street, Gainesville, FL 32609. We look forward to serving our customers near Alachua, Lake City and High Springs.
1Find more information on charging EVs at the U.S. Department of Transportation’s website here.
2For more information, visit Charge Hub.