Reality Check · Chicago, IL
2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV 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), an Equinox EV gets an estimated 236 miles on a charge, 23% less than its 307-mile rating, and about the same in the coldest week of the year (around January 16, when it averages 26°F). By May it's back to about 314. Charging at home at Illinois's average rate (19.2¢/kWh) costs about $78 a month for 38 miles a day, against $209 for a gas Equinox on Chicago's gas. Chicago's grid (RFC West) is 19% dirtier than the US average, but charging on it still makes 58% less CO₂ than gas.
Partly estimated. 1 of 5 temperature bands are from 86 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 307-mile rating. Each band switches to its own drives once it has 20 from 3 drivers.
October range
309mi
At Chicago's typical October day, 55°F · 35% highway
Winter lowEstimated
234mi
January, 26°F · lows near 19°F
Home chargingEstimated
$78/mo
6.7¢ a mile at 19.2¢/kWh. Gas Equinox: $209/mo
Chicago's grid
0.91lb CO₂/kWh
RFC West (EPA eGRID): 19% dirtier than the US, 58% less CO₂ than gas
Chicago, season by seasonEstimated
An Equinox EV's range on a full charge, averaged over each season's months (30-year normal temperatures), at 35% highway.
Winter Dec–Feb · 29°F
20% below its 307-mile rating · coldest week 234 mi
246mi
Spring Mar–May · 51°F
About its rating
299mi
Summer Jun–Aug · 74°F
About its rating
307mi
Fall Sep–Nov · 55°FNow
About its rating
302mi
An Equinox EV'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 139 mi out and back, 278 mi one way (January: 212 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
- ChargePoint159 in reach
- Tesla Supercharger104
- EV Connect86
- EVgo80
- Blink69
Road trips in October, about, by road: Toledo (265 mi) and Indianapolis (204 mi) one way on a charge; Dayton (289 mi) with one fast stop.
Questions Chicago drivers ask
How far can an Equinox EV go in a Chicago winter?
About 236 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 23% below its 307-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 an Equinox EV in Chicago?
About $78 a month at home for 38 miles a day, at Illinois's average home electricity rate of 19.2¢/kWh: about 6.7¢ a mile. A gas Equinox on Chicago's average gas ($4.71 a gallon) costs about $209 a month for the same driving.
Can I charge an Equinox EV on a regular 120 V outlet in Chicago?
At 38 miles a day, most of the year: a 120 V outlet adds about 47 miles in 12 hours on an average day, but about 36 in the coldest week, so it can fall a little behind then. A 240 V outlet fills it from 10% in about 9 hours.
Is it greener to drive electric on Chicago's grid?
Yes. Chicago's grid (RFC West) is 19% dirtier than the US average, but an Equinox EV charged on it still makes 58% less CO₂ than a gas Equinox.
Check it for your own address
Your street, your daily miles, any temperature on the knob.
Equinox EV 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.