Reality Check · Madison, WI
2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV in Madison, WI
Winter range, charging cost and how far it goes, worked out for Madison's weather, grid and prices.
In a typical Madison January (19°F), an Equinox EV gets an estimated 214 miles on a charge, 30% less than its 307-mile rating, and about the same in the coldest week of the year (around January 18, when it averages 19°F). By May it's back to about 314. Charging at home at Wisconsin's average rate (19.1¢/kWh) costs about $80 a month for 38 miles a day, against $184 for a gas Equinox on the Midwest's gas. Madison's grid (MRO East) is 82% dirtier than the US average, but charging on it still makes 33% 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 rangeEstimated
300mi
At Madison's typical October day, 50°F · 35% highway
Winter lowEstimated
212mi
January, 19°F · lows near 11°F
Home chargingEstimated
$80/mo
6.9¢ a mile at 19.1¢/kWh. Gas Equinox: $184/mo
Madison's grid
1.40lb CO₂/kWh
MRO East (EPA eGRID): 82% dirtier than the US, 33% less CO₂ than gas
Madison, 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 · 23°F
27% below its 307-mile rating · coldest week 212 mi
225mi
Spring Mar–May · 46°F
5% below its rating
291mi
Summer Jun–Aug · 70°F
About its rating
310mi
Fall Sep–Nov · 49°FNow
4% below its rating
295mi
An Equinox EV's range through a Madison yearEstimated
Each month at Madison's 30-year normal temperature, 35% highway. 103 days a year average below freezing.
How far it goes from Madison, on real roadsEstimated
In October, from a full charge with 10% in reserve: about 135 mi out and back, 270 mi one way (January: 193 mi). Dots are DC fast chargers by network.
Fast charging around Madison
PlugLog's map of every public charger. Tesla-only Superchargers aren't counted.
- 26DC fast chargers within 25 mi
- 2.8 mito the nearest
- ChargePoint102 in reach
- EVgo62
- Tesla Supercharger60
- EV Connect57
- Blink53
Road trips in October, about, by road: Grand Rapids (239 mi) and Chicago (155 mi) one way on a charge; Minneapolis (288 mi) with one fast stop.
Questions Madison drivers ask
How far can an Equinox EV go in a Madison winter?
About 214 miles on a typical January day (19°F) and about the same in the coldest week of the year (around January 18, 19°F on average), estimated from real EV drives at those temperatures. That's 30% below its 307-mile rating, mostly from heating the cabin and the battery. Madison averages 103 days a year below freezing.
How much does it cost to charge an Equinox EV in Madison?
About $80 a month at home for 38 miles a day, at Wisconsin's average home electricity rate of 19.1¢/kWh: about 6.9¢ 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 Madison?
At 38 miles a day, most of the year: a 120 V outlet adds about 46 miles in 12 hours on an average day, but about 33 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 Madison's grid?
Yes. Madison's grid (MRO East) is 82% dirtier than the US average, but an Equinox EV charged on it still makes 33% 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 Madison
Sources: temperatures, 30-year normals (NOAA 1991–2020) at Madison Dane Rgnl Airport, WI; home electricity, EIA (Wisconsin, 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.