Reality Check · Denver, CO
2026 Tesla Model Y in Denver, CO
Winter range, charging cost and how far it goes, worked out for Denver's weather, grid and prices.
Denver's winters are cool rather than cold: on a typical January day (32°F) a Model Y gets an estimated 260 miles, 15% under its 306-mile rating, and about 255 in the coldest week (around December 19, when it averages 31°F). By March it's back to about 296. Charging at home at Colorado's average rate (17.0¢/kWh) costs about $64 a month for 38 miles a day, about a third of the $205 an average small SUV costs on Denver's gas. Denver's grid (WECC Rockies) is 35% dirtier than the US average, but charging on it still makes 59% 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 Denver's typical October day, 51°F · 35% highway
Winter lowEstimated
255mi
January, 32°F; Dec 19–25 at 31°F · lows near 17°F
Home chargingEstimated
$64/mo
5.5¢ a mile at 17.0¢/kWh. Average small SUV: $205/mo
Denver's grid
1.04lb CO₂/kWh
WECC Rockies (EPA eGRID): 35% dirtier than the US, 59% less CO₂ than gas
Denver, 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 255 mi
261mi
Spring Mar–May · 49°F
4% below its rating
295mi
Summer Jun–Aug · 72°F
About its rating
297mi
Fall Sep–Nov · 52°FNow
4% below its rating
294mi
A Model Y's range through a Denver yearEstimated
Each month at Denver's 30-year normal temperature, 35% highway. 29 days a year average below freezing.
How far it goes from Denver, on real roads
In October, from a full charge with 10% in reserve: about 132 mi out and back, 265 mi one way (January: 234 mi). Dots are DC fast chargers by network.
Fast charging around Denver
PlugLog's map of every public charger. Tesla-only Superchargers aren't counted.
- 166DC fast chargers within 25 mi
- 0.8 mito the nearest
- ChargePoint132 in reach
- EVgo50
- Electrify America48
- Tesla Supercharger46
- EV Connect29
Road trips in October, about, by road: Colorado Springs (78 mi) one way on a charge; Albuquerque (420 mi) with one fast stop.
Questions Denver drivers ask
How far can a Model Y go in a Denver winter?
About 260 miles on a typical January day (32°F) and about 255 in the coldest week of the year (around December 19, 31°F on average), estimated from real EV drives at those temperatures. That's 15–17% below its 306-mile rating, mostly from heating the cabin and the battery. Denver averages 29 days a year below freezing.
How much does it cost to charge a Model Y in Denver?
About $64 a month at home for 38 miles a day, at Colorado's average home electricity rate of 17.0¢/kWh: about 5.5¢ a mile. An average small SUV on Denver's average gas ($4.24 a gallon) costs about $205 a month for the same driving.
Can I charge a Model Y on a regular 120 V outlet in Denver?
At 38 miles a day, yes, all year: a 120 V outlet adds about 43 miles in 12 hours even in Denver's coldest week, and about 49 on an average day.
Is it greener to drive electric on Denver's grid?
Yes. Denver's grid (WECC Rockies) is 35% dirtier than the US average, but a Model Y charged on it still makes 59% 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 Denver
Sources: temperatures, 30-year normals (NOAA 1991–2020) at Denver-Stapleton, CO; home electricity, EIA (Colorado, July 2026); gas, EIA weekly (Denver); 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.