Reality Check · Denver, CO
2025 Tesla Model Y in Denver, CO
Winter range, charging cost and how far it goes, worked out for Denver's weather, grid and prices.
Denver's winters are cool rather than cold: on a typical January day (32°F) a Model Y gets an estimated 237 miles, 14% under its 277-mile rating, and about 234 in the coldest week (around December 19, when it averages 31°F). By July it's back to about 292. Charging at home at Colorado's average rate (17.0¢/kWh) costs about $67 a month for 38 miles a day, about a third of the $205 an average small SUV costs on Denver's gas. Denver's grid (WECC Rockies) is 35% dirtier than the US average, but charging on it still makes 56% 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
263mi
At Denver's typical October day, 51°F · 35% highway
Winter lowEstimated
234mi
January, 32°F; Dec 19–25 at 31°F · lows near 17°F
Home chargingEstimated
$67/mo
5.8¢ a mile at 17.0¢/kWh. Average small SUV: $205/mo
Denver's grid
1.04lb CO₂/kWh
WECC Rockies (EPA eGRID): 35% dirtier than the US, 56% less CO₂ than gas
Denver, 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 · 32°F
14% below its 277-mile rating · coldest week 234 mi
238mi
Spring Mar–May · 49°F
5% below its rating
262mi
Summer Jun–Aug · 72°F
4% above its rating
287mi
Fall Sep–Nov · 52°FNow
5% below its rating
265mi
A Model Y's range through a Denver yearEstimated
Each month at Denver's 30-year normal temperature, 35% highway. 29 days a year average below freezing.
How far it goes from Denver, on real roads
In October, from a full charge with 10% in reserve: about 118 mi out and back, 236 mi one way (January: 213 mi). Dots are DC fast chargers by network.
Fast charging around Denver
PlugLog's map of every public charger. Tesla-only Superchargers aren't counted.
- 166DC fast chargers within 25 mi
- 0.8 mito the nearest
- ChargePoint125 in reach
- EVgo49
- Electrify America46
- Tesla Supercharger43
- EV Connect26
Road trips in October, about, by road: Colorado Springs (78 mi) one way on a charge; Albuquerque (420 mi) with one fast stop.
Questions Denver drivers ask
How far can a Model Y go in a Denver winter?
About 237 miles on a typical January day (32°F) and about 234 in the coldest week of the year (around December 19, 31°F on average), estimated from real EV drives at those temperatures. That's 14–15% below its 277-mile rating, mostly from heating the cabin and the battery. Denver averages 29 days a year below freezing.
How much does it cost to charge a Model Y in Denver?
About $67 a month at home for 38 miles a day, at Colorado's average home electricity rate of 17.0¢/kWh: about 5.8¢ a mile. An average small SUV on Denver's average gas ($4.24 a gallon) costs about $205 a month for the same driving.
Can I charge a Model Y on a regular 120 V outlet in Denver?
At 38 miles a day, yes, all year: a 120 V outlet adds about 41 miles in 12 hours even in Denver's coldest week, and about 46 on an average day.
Is it greener to drive electric on Denver's grid?
Yes. Denver's grid (WECC Rockies) is 35% dirtier than the US average, but a Model Y charged on it still makes 56% 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 Denver
Sources: temperatures, 30-year normals (NOAA 1991–2020) at Denver-Stapleton, CO; home electricity, EIA (Colorado, July 2026); gas, EIA weekly (Denver); 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.