Reality Check · Columbus, OH
2026 Tesla Model Y in Columbus, OH
Winter range, charging cost and how far it goes, worked out for Columbus's weather, grid and prices.
Columbus's winters are cool rather than cold: on a typical January day (30°F) a Model Y gets an estimated 250 miles, 18% under its 306-mile rating, about the same as in the coldest week (around January 17, when it averages 29°F). By March it's back to about 296. Charging at home at Ohio's average rate (19.4¢/kWh) costs about $73 a month for 38 miles a day, against $195 for an average small SUV on Ohio's gas. Columbus's grid (RFC West) is 19% dirtier than the US average, but charging on it still makes 64% 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 Columbus's typical October day, 55°F · 35% highway
Winter lowEstimated
248mi
January, 30°F · lows near 21°F
Home chargingEstimated
$73/mo
6.3¢ a mile at 19.4¢/kWh. Average small SUV: $195/mo
Columbus's grid
0.91lb CO₂/kWh
RFC West (EPA eGRID): 19% dirtier than the US, 64% less CO₂ than gas
Columbus, 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 · 32°F
15% below its 306-mile rating · coldest week 248 mi
260mi
Spring Mar–May · 53°F
4% below its rating
295mi
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 Columbus yearEstimated
Each month at Columbus's 30-year normal temperature, 35% highway. 49 days a year average below freezing.
How far it goes from Columbus, on real roads
In October, from a full charge with 10% in reserve: about 132 mi out and back, 265 mi one way (January: 225 mi). Dots are DC fast chargers by network.
Fast charging around Columbus
PlugLog's map of every public charger. Tesla-only Superchargers aren't counted.
- 101DC fast chargers within 25 mi
- 1.2 mito the nearest
- ChargePoint242 in reach
- EVgo131
- EV Connect102
- Tesla Supercharger97
- Red E Charge76
Road trips in October, about, by road: Louisville (238 mi) and Indianapolis (210 mi) one way on a charge; Grand Rapids (310 mi) with one fast stop.
Questions Columbus drivers ask
How far can a Model Y go in a Columbus winter?
About 250 miles on a typical January day (30°F) and about the same in the coldest week of the year (around January 17, 29°F on average), estimated from real EV drives at those temperatures. That's 18% below its 306-mile rating, mostly from heating the cabin and the battery. Columbus averages 49 days a year below freezing.
How much does it cost to charge a Model Y in Columbus?
About $73 a month at home for 38 miles a day, at Ohio's average home electricity rate of 19.4¢/kWh: about 6.3¢ a mile. An average small SUV on Ohio's average gas ($4.05 a gallon) costs about $195 a month for the same driving.
Can I charge a Model Y on a regular 120 V outlet in Columbus?
At 38 miles a day, yes, all year: a 120 V outlet adds about 42 miles in 12 hours even in Columbus's coldest week, and about 49 on an average day.
Is it greener to drive electric on Columbus's grid?
Yes. Columbus's grid (RFC West) is 19% dirtier than the US average, but a Model Y charged on it still makes 64% 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 Columbus
Sources: temperatures, 30-year normals (NOAA 1991–2020) at Columbus Port Columbus International Airport, OH; home electricity, EIA (Ohio, July 2026); gas, EIA weekly (Ohio); 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.