Reality Check · Chicago, IL
2026 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 235 miles on a charge, 23% less than its 306-mile rating, and about the same in the coldest week of the year (around January 16, when it averages 26°F). By March it's back to about 290. Charging at home at Illinois's average rate (19.2¢/kWh) costs about $73 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 63% less CO₂ than gas.
Partly estimated. 2 of 5 temperature bands are from 108 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 306-mile rating. Each band switches to its own drives once it has 20 from 3 drivers.
October range
294mi
At Chicago's typical October day, 55°F · 35% highway
Winter lowEstimated
233mi
January, 26°F · lows near 19°F
Home chargingEstimated
$73/mo
6.3¢ 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, 63% 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
19% below its 306-mile rating · coldest week 233 mi
248mi
Spring Mar–May · 51°F
4% below its rating
293mi
Summer Jun–Aug · 74°F
About its rating
298mi
Fall Sep–Nov · 55°FNow
4% below its rating
295mi
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 132 mi out and back, 265 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: 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 235 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 306-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 $73 a month at home for 38 miles a day, at Illinois's average home electricity rate of 19.2¢/kWh: about 6.3¢ 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 39 miles in 12 hours even in Chicago's coldest week, and about 49 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 63% 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.