Reality Check · Des Moines, IA
2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV in Des Moines, IA
Winter range, charging cost and how far it goes, worked out for Des Moines's weather, grid and prices.
In a typical Des Moines January (22°F), an Equinox EV gets an estimated 224 miles on a charge, 27% less than its 307-mile rating, and about the same in the coldest week of the year (around January 15, when it averages 22°F). By May it's back to about 314. Charging at home at Iowa's average rate (16.0¢/kWh) costs about $66 a month for 38 miles a day, against $184 for a gas Equinox on the Midwest's gas. Des Moines's grid (MRO West) is 20% dirtier than the US average, but charging on it still makes 57% 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
306mi
At Des Moines's typical October day, 53°F · 35% highway
Winter lowEstimated
222mi
January, 22°F · lows near 13°F
Home chargingEstimated
$66/mo
5.7¢ a mile at 16.0¢/kWh. Gas Equinox: $184/mo
Des Moines's grid
0.92lb CO₂/kWh
MRO West (EPA eGRID): 20% dirtier than the US, 57% less CO₂ than gas
Des Moines, 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 · 26°F
24% below its 307-mile rating · coldest week 222 mi
235mi
Spring Mar–May · 51°F
About its rating
299mi
Summer Jun–Aug · 74°F
About its rating
307mi
Fall Sep–Nov · 53°FNow
About its rating
299mi
An Equinox EV's range through a Des Moines yearEstimated
Each month at Des Moines's 30-year normal temperature, 35% highway. 87 days a year average below freezing.
How far it goes from Des Moines, on real roads
In October, from a full charge with 10% in reserve: about 138 mi out and back, 275 mi one way (January: 201 mi). Dots are DC fast chargers by network.
Fast charging around Des Moines
PlugLog's map of every public charger. Tesla-only Superchargers aren't counted.
- 47DC fast chargers within 25 mi
- 1.2 mito the nearest
- Chargelab51 in reach
- ChargePoint49
- Shell Recharge33
- EV Connect23
- Tesla Supercharger18
Road trips in October, about, by road: Kansas City (220 mi) and Omaha (160 mi) one way on a charge; Minneapolis (294 mi) with one fast stop.
Questions Des Moines drivers ask
How far can an Equinox EV go in a Des Moines winter?
About 224 miles on a typical January day (22°F) and about the same in the coldest week of the year (around January 15, 22°F on average), estimated from real EV drives at those temperatures. That's 27% below its 307-mile rating, mostly from heating the cabin and the battery. Des Moines averages 87 days a year below freezing.
How much does it cost to charge an Equinox EV in Des Moines?
About $66 a month at home for 38 miles a day, at Iowa's average home electricity rate of 16.0¢/kWh: about 5.7¢ a mile. A gas Equinox on the Midwest's average gas ($4.14 a gallon) costs about $184 a month for the same driving.
Can I charge an Equinox EV on a regular 120 V outlet in Des Moines?
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 35 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 Des Moines's grid?
Yes. Des Moines's grid (MRO West) is 20% dirtier than the US average, but an Equinox EV charged on it still makes 57% 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 Des Moines
Sources: temperatures, 30-year normals (NOAA 1991–2020) at Des Moines International Airport, IA; home electricity, EIA (Iowa, July 2026); gas, EIA weekly (the Midwest); 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.