Reality Check · Dayton, OH
2026 Tesla Model Y in Dayton, OH
Winter range, charging cost and how far it goes, worked out for Dayton's weather, grid and prices.
Dayton's winters are cool rather than cold: on a typical January day (29°F) a Model Y gets an estimated 249 miles, 19% under its 306-mile rating, about the same as in the coldest week (around January 18, 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. Dayton'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 Dayton's typical October day, 56°F · 35% highway
Winter lowEstimated
248mi
January, 29°F · lows near 21°F
Home chargingEstimated
$73/mo
6.3¢ a mile at 19.4¢/kWh. Average small SUV: $195/mo
Dayton's grid
0.91lb CO₂/kWh
RFC West (EPA eGRID): 19% dirtier than the US, 64% less CO₂ than gas
Dayton, 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 · 56°FNow
4% below its rating
295mi
A Model Y's range through a Dayton yearEstimated
Each month at Dayton's 30-year normal temperature, 35% highway. 48 days a year average below freezing.
How far it goes from Dayton, on real roads
In October, from a full charge with 10% in reserve: about 132 mi out and back, 264 mi one way (January: 224 mi). Dots are DC fast chargers by network.
Fast charging around Dayton
PlugLog's map of every public charger. Tesla-only Superchargers aren't counted.
- 34DC fast chargers within 25 mi
- 0.4 mito the nearest
- ChargePoint212 in reach
- EVgo104
- EV Connect95
- Tesla Supercharger81
- Blink62
Road trips in October, about, by road: Detroit (235 mi) and Cleveland (221 mi) one way on a charge; Pittsburgh (285 mi) with one fast stop.
Questions Dayton drivers ask
How far can a Model Y go in a Dayton winter?
About 249 miles on a typical January day (29°F) and about the same in the coldest week of the year (around January 18, 29°F on average), estimated from real EV drives at those temperatures. That's 19% below its 306-mile rating, mostly from heating the cabin and the battery. Dayton averages 48 days a year below freezing.
How much does it cost to charge a Model Y in Dayton?
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 Dayton?
At 38 miles a day, yes, all year: a 120 V outlet adds about 42 miles in 12 hours even in Dayton's coldest week, and about 49 on an average day.
Is it greener to drive electric on Dayton's grid?
Yes. Dayton'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 Dayton
Sources: temperatures, 30-year normals (NOAA 1991–2020) at Dayton 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.