Reality Check · Chicago, IL
2025 Tesla Model Y in Chicago, IL
Winter range, charging cost and how far it goes, worked out for Chicago's weather, grid and prices.
In a typical Chicago January (26°F), a Model Y gets an estimated 223 miles on a charge, 20% less than its 277-mile rating, and about the same in the coldest week of the year (around January 16, when it averages 26°F). By June it's back to about 287. Charging at home at Illinois's average rate (19.2¢/kWh) costs about $77 a month for 38 miles a day, about a third of the $227 an average small SUV costs on Chicago's gas. Chicago's grid (RFC West) is 19% dirtier than the US average, but charging on it still makes 62% less CO₂ than gas.
Partly estimated. 2 of 5 temperature bands are from 139 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 277-mile rating. Each band switches to its own drives once it has 20 from 3 drivers.
October range
264mi
At Chicago's typical October day, 55°F · 35% highway
Winter lowEstimated
221mi
January, 26°F · lows near 19°F
Home chargingEstimated
$77/mo
6.6¢ a mile at 19.2¢/kWh. Average small SUV: $227/mo
Chicago's grid
0.91lb CO₂/kWh
RFC West (EPA eGRID): 19% dirtier than the US, 62% less CO₂ than gas
Chicago, season by seasonEstimated
A Model Y's range on a full charge, averaged over each season's months (30-year normal temperatures), at 35% highway.
Winter Dec–Feb · 29°F
17% below its 277-mile rating · coldest week 221 mi
230mi
Spring Mar–May · 51°F
5% below its rating
262mi
Summer Jun–Aug · 74°F
5% above its rating
291mi
Fall Sep–Nov · 55°FNow
3% below its rating
268mi
A Model Y's range through a Chicago yearEstimated
Each month at Chicago's 30-year normal temperature, 35% highway. 72 days a year average below freezing.
How far it goes from Chicago, on real roads
In October, from a full charge with 10% in reserve: about 119 mi out and back, 238 mi one way (January: 200 mi). Dots are DC fast chargers by network.
Fast charging around Chicago
PlugLog's map of every public charger. Tesla-only Superchargers aren't counted.
- 158DC fast chargers within 25 mi
- 0.6 mito the nearest
- ChargePoint153 in reach
- Tesla Supercharger101
- EV Connect79
- EVgo78
- Blink63
Road trips in October, about, by road: Indianapolis (204 mi) and Fort Wayne (177 mi) one way on a charge; Toledo (265 mi) with one fast stop.
Questions Chicago drivers ask
How far can a Model Y go in a Chicago winter?
About 223 miles on a typical January day (26°F) and about the same in the coldest week of the year (around January 16, 26°F on average), estimated from real EV drives at those temperatures. That's 20% below its 277-mile rating, mostly from heating the cabin and the battery. Chicago averages 72 days a year below freezing.
How much does it cost to charge a Model Y in Chicago?
About $77 a month at home for 38 miles a day, at Illinois's average home electricity rate of 19.2¢/kWh: about 6.6¢ a mile. An average small SUV on Chicago's average gas ($4.71 a gallon) costs about $227 a month for the same driving.
Can I charge a Model Y on a regular 120 V outlet in Chicago?
At 38 miles a day, yes, all year: a 120 V outlet adds about 38 miles in 12 hours even in Chicago's coldest week, and about 46 on an average day.
Is it greener to drive electric on Chicago's grid?
Yes. Chicago's grid (RFC West) is 19% dirtier than the US average, but a Model Y charged on it still makes 62% less CO₂ than an average small SUV.
Check it for your own address
Your street, your daily miles, any temperature on the knob.
Model Y Reality Check near Chicago
Sources: temperatures, 30-year normals (NOAA 1991–2020) at Chicago Midway Airport, IL; home electricity, EIA (Illinois, July 2026); gas, EIA weekly (Chicago); 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.