Reality Check · Columbia, SC
2026 Tesla Model Y in Columbia, SC
Winter range, charging cost and how far it goes, worked out for Columbia's weather, grid and prices.
Winter barely touches range in Columbia: at a typical January's 47°F, a Model Y gets an estimated 295 miles on a charge, within 4% of its 306-mile rating. Charging at home at South Carolina's average rate (15.5¢/kWh) costs about $56 a month for 38 miles a day, about a third of the $186 an average small SUV costs on the Lower Atlantic's gas. And Columbia's grid (SERC Virginia/Carolina), 23% cleaner than the US average, makes it 77% 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
295mi
At Columbia's typical October day, 66°F · 35% highway
Winter lowEstimated
295mi
January, 47°F · lows near 37°F
Home chargingEstimated
$56/mo
4.8¢ a mile at 15.5¢/kWh. Average small SUV: $186/mo
Columbia's grid
0.59lb CO₂/kWh
SERC Virginia/Carolina (EPA eGRID): 23% cleaner than the US, 77% less CO₂ than gas
Columbia, 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 · 49°F
4% below its 306-mile rating · coldest week 295 mi
295mi
Spring Mar–May · 65°F
3% below its rating
295mi
Summer Jun–Aug · 82°F
About its rating
304mi
Fall Sep–Nov · 66°FNow
3% below its rating
296mi
A Model Y's range through a Columbia yearEstimated
Each month at Columbia's 30-year normal temperature, 35% highway. No day of the year averages below freezing.
How far it goes from Columbia, on real roads
In October, from a full charge with 10% in reserve: about 133 mi out and back, 266 mi one way (January: 265 mi). Dots are DC fast chargers by network.
Fast charging around Columbia
PlugLog's map of every public charger. Tesla-only Superchargers aren't counted.
- 26DC fast chargers within 25 mi
- 3.5 mito the nearest
- ChargePoint275 in reach
- Tesla Supercharger183
- EVgo137
- EV Connect116
- Electrify America55
Road trips in October, about, by road: Atlanta (253 mi) and Raleigh (223 mi) one way on a charge; Knoxville (272 mi) with one fast stop.
Questions Columbia drivers ask
How far can a Model Y go in a Columbia winter?
Columbia's winters are mild: about 295 miles on a typical January day (47°F) and about the same in the coldest week (around January 9, 47°F), estimated from real EV drives at those temperatures. That's within 4% of its 306-mile rating.
How much does it cost to charge a Model Y in Columbia?
About $56 a month at home for 38 miles a day, at South Carolina's average home electricity rate of 15.5¢/kWh: about 4.8¢ a mile. An average small SUV on the Lower Atlantic's average gas ($3.86 a gallon) costs about $186 a month for the same driving.
Can I charge a Model Y on a regular 120 V outlet in Columbia?
At 38 miles a day, yes, all year: a 120 V outlet adds about 49 miles in 12 hours even in Columbia's coldest week, and about 50 on an average day.
Is it greener to drive electric on Columbia's grid?
Yes, more than most places. Columbia's grid (SERC Virginia/Carolina) is 23% cleaner than the US average, so a Model Y charged on it makes 77% 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 Columbia
Sources: temperatures, 30-year normals (NOAA 1991–2020) at Columbia Owens Dwtn Airport, SC; home electricity, EIA (South Carolina, July 2026); gas, EIA weekly (the Lower Atlantic); 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.