One hundred years ago, Thomas Edison worked on an electric car battery at his West Orange laboratory in New Jersey. In April 2017, the West Orange laboratory at the Thomas Edison National Historical Park was where BMW appropriately unveiled the first of 100 electric vehicle charging (EVC) stations to be installed at National Park Service sites. Four level-two charging stations were unveiled in West Orange, kicking off installations across the nation.
Working with the Gettysburg Foundation and the National Park Service, BMW installed EVC stations at Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center in the fall of 2017.
The vehicle charging stations offer two of the level-two chargers at this time. The level-two charger can power up an electric vehicle in about two to three hours. The stations opened for public use on December 21, 2017 and are currently up and running.
The first person to use the charging station had this to say about the experience: “The charging station was easy to use. I downloaded the SemaConnect app, filled in some personal info and my phone was ready. I connected the power cable and started the charge through the app. I could see the car charging through the app (and my car also acknowledged that it was charging). Cool! I truly appreciate all the "green" aspects of the Visitor's Center, and these charging stations are another great addition.”
For those using the EVC stations, the required BAE number is located on the left-hand side of each charging unit. The cost to charge is $1/hour for every hour your vehicle is plugged into the charging station. You will be charged as long as your vehicle is plugged in, so please remember to unplug and move your vehicle as soon as it is fully charged.