Reality Check · Columbus, OH
2025 GMC Sierra EV in Columbus, OH
Winter range, charging cost and how far it goes, worked out for Columbus's weather, grid and prices.
In a typical Columbus January (30°F), a Sierra EV gets an estimated 303 miles on a charge, 22% less than its 390-mile rating, and about 300 miles in the coldest week of the year (around January 17, when it averages 29°F). By April it's back to about 379. Charging at home at Ohio's average rate (19.4¢/kWh) costs about $129 a month for 38 miles a day, against $293 for a gas Sierra on Ohio's gas. Columbus's grid (RFC West) is 19% dirtier than the US average, but charging on it still makes 57% less CO₂ than gas.
Partly estimated. 2 of 5 temperature bands are from 116 real drives of this model; the rest come from 1,548 real drives in EVs at each temperature (and Recurrent's winter study below freezing), applied to its 390-mile rating. Each band switches to its own drives once it has 20 from 3 drivers.
October rangeEstimated
382mi
At Columbus's typical October day, 55°F · 35% highway
Winter lowEstimated
300mi
January, 30°F; Jan 17–23 at 29°F · lows near 21°F
Home chargingEstimated
$129/mo
11.2¢ a mile at 19.4¢/kWh. Gas Sierra: $293/mo
Columbus's grid
0.91lb CO₂/kWh
RFC West (EPA eGRID): 19% dirtier than the US, 57% less CO₂ than gas
Columbus, season by seasonEstimated
A Sierra EV's range on a full charge, averaged over each season's months (30-year normal temperatures), at 35% highway.
Winter Dec–Feb · 32°F
19% below its 390-mile rating · coldest week 300 mi
317mi
Spring Mar–May · 53°F
4% below its rating
374mi
Summer Jun–Aug · 74°F
7% below its rating
362mi
Fall Sep–Nov · 55°FNow
4% below its rating
374mi
A Sierra EV's range through a Columbus yearEstimated
Each month at Columbus's 30-year normal temperature, 35% highway. 49 days a year average below freezing.
How far it goes from Columbus, on real roadsEstimated
In October, from a full charge with 10% in reserve: about 172 mi out and back, 343 mi one way (January: 273 mi). Dots are DC fast chargers by network.
Fast charging around Columbus
PlugLog's map of every public charger. Tesla-only Superchargers aren't counted.
- 101DC fast chargers within 25 mi
- 1.2 mito the nearest
- ChargePoint296 in reach
- EVgo150
- EV Connect127
- Tesla Supercharger115
- Red E Charge105
Road trips in October, about, by road: Grand Rapids (310 mi) and Louisville (238 mi) one way on a charge; Chicago (346 mi) with one fast stop.
Questions Columbus drivers ask
How far can a Sierra EV go in a Columbus winter?
About 303 miles on a typical January day (30°F) and about 300 in the coldest week of the year (around January 17, 29°F on average), estimated from real EV drives at those temperatures. That's 22–23% below its 390-mile rating, mostly from heating the cabin and the battery. Columbus averages 49 days a year below freezing.
How much does it cost to charge a Sierra EV in Columbus?
About $129 a month at home for 38 miles a day, at Ohio's average home electricity rate of 19.4¢/kWh: about 11.2¢ a mile. A gas Sierra on Ohio's average gas ($4.05 a gallon) costs about $293 a month for the same driving.
Can I charge a Sierra EV on a regular 120 V outlet in Columbus?
Not at 38 miles a day: a 120 V outlet adds only about 29 miles in 12 hours on an average day (23 in the coldest week). Plan on 240 V, which fills it from 10% in about 10 hours.
Is it greener to drive electric on Columbus's grid?
Yes. Columbus's grid (RFC West) is 19% dirtier than the US average, but a Sierra EV charged on it still makes 57% less CO₂ than a gas Sierra.
Check it for your own address
Your street, your daily miles, any temperature on the knob.
Sierra EV Reality Check near Columbus
Sources: temperatures, 30-year normals (NOAA 1991–2020) at Columbus Port Columbus International Airport, OH; home electricity, EIA (Ohio, July 2026); gas, EIA weekly (Ohio); grid CO₂, EPA eGRID 2023; cold-weather range, PlugLog's real drives and Recurrent's winter study (Nov 2025); chargers, Open Charge Map and PlugLog. Updated Oct 22, 2026.