Reality Check · San Francisco, CA
2025 GMC Sierra EV in San Francisco, CA
Winter range, charging cost and how far it goes, worked out for San Francisco's weather, grid and prices.
Winter barely touches range in San Francisco: at a typical January's 52°F, a Sierra EV gets an estimated 378 miles on a charge, within 3% of its 390-mile rating. Charging at home at California's average rate (33.6¢/kWh) costs about $208 a month for 38 miles a day, against $434 for a gas Sierra on San Francisco's gas. And San Francisco's grid (WECC California), 44% cleaner than the US average, makes it 81% 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
381mi
At San Francisco's typical October day, 62°F · 35% highway
Winter lowEstimated
377mi
January, 52°F · lows near 46°F
Home chargingEstimated
$208/mo
18.0¢ a mile at 33.6¢/kWh. Gas Sierra: $434/mo
San Francisco's grid
0.43lb CO₂/kWh
WECC California (EPA eGRID): 44% cleaner than the US, 81% less CO₂ than gas
San Francisco, 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 · 53°F
About its rating · coldest week 377 mi
379mi
Spring Mar–May · 57°F
About its rating
383mi
Summer Jun–Aug · 61°F
About its rating
384mi
Fall Sep–Nov · 61°FNow
About its rating
382mi
A Sierra EV's range through a San Francisco yearEstimated
Each month at San Francisco's 30-year normal temperature, 35% highway. No day of the year averages below freezing.
How far it goes from San Francisco, on real roadsEstimated
In October, from a full charge with 10% in reserve: about 172 mi out and back, 343 mi one way (January: 340 mi). Dots are DC fast chargers by network.
Fast charging around San Francisco
PlugLog's map of every public charger. Tesla-only Superchargers aren't counted.
- 291DC fast chargers within 25 mi
- 0.2 mito the nearest
- EVgo380 in reach
- Tesla Supercharger277
- ChargePoint250
- Electrify America162
- EVCS77
Road trips in October, about, by road: Bakersfield (314 mi) and Fresno (200 mi) one way on a charge; Oxnard (382 mi) with one fast stop.
Questions San Francisco drivers ask
How far can a Sierra EV go in a San Francisco winter?
San Francisco's winters are mild: about 378 miles on a typical January day (52°F) and about the same in the coldest week (around December 28, 52°F), estimated from real EV drives at those temperatures. That's within 3% of its 390-mile rating.
How much does it cost to charge a Sierra EV in San Francisco?
About $208 a month at home for 38 miles a day, at California's average home electricity rate of 33.6¢/kWh: about 18.0¢ a mile. A gas Sierra on San Francisco's average gas ($6.00 a gallon) costs about $434 a month for the same driving.
Can I charge a Sierra EV on a regular 120 V outlet in San Francisco?
Not at 38 miles a day: a 120 V outlet adds only about 29 miles in 12 hours on an average day (29 in the coldest week). Plan on 240 V, which fills it from 10% in about 10 hours.
Is it greener to drive electric on San Francisco's grid?
Yes, more than most places. San Francisco's grid (WECC California) is 44% cleaner than the US average, so a Sierra EV charged on it makes 81% 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 San Francisco
Sources: temperatures, 30-year normals (NOAA 1991–2020) at San Francisco Dwtn, CA; home electricity, EIA (California, July 2026); gas, EIA weekly (San Francisco); 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.