Tesla's 10 charging stations are expected to be operational in January

Gainesville is a welcome pit stop for many motorists heading by on I-75, but soon Tesla drivers will have an option to recharge their vehicles as they shop.

Butler Enterprises announced Saturday during the Town Center holiday tree lighting that it has partnered with Tesla, which specializes in electric car manufacturing, to bring 10 Tesla Supercharger stations to Gainesville.

Mary Reichardt, Butler’s corporate director of marketing, said the charging stations will be located in the parking lot west of Whole Foods, 3490 Archer Road, and behind Chili’s.

Reichardt said the charging stations located in Butler Town Center will be “a convenient stop off the interstate” for traveling Tesla owners.

They will be the first Supercharger stations in Gainesville. The closest currently are in Lake City and Ocala.

The Supercharger stations look similar to gas pumps, but instead of delivering gasoline, they deliver an electric charge to Tesla’s electric-powered vehicles.

The charging stations deliver a charge quickly, according to Tesla’s website, in the time it takes to get a coffee or eat lunch.

In Florida, Tesla charges $0.22 per kilowatt hour used at the Supercharging stations, plus other potential fees. Tesla says on its website that driving a Tesla Model X 1,500 miles costs $132 for electricity. That compares to about $144 to fill up an average gasoline-fueled car over the same distance.

Tesla is now working with the city of Gainesville on permitting, and hopes to begin and complete the charger stations in January.

The Tesla announcement was made in holiday-fashion, Reichardt said, as a Santa arrived at the Butler Town Center block party in a Tesla Model X, which launched into a festive music and lights show.