Reality Check · Madison, WI
2026 Tesla Model Y in Madison, WI
Winter range, charging cost and how far it goes, worked out for Madison's weather, grid and prices.
In a typical Madison January (19°F), a Model Y gets an estimated 209 miles on a charge, 32% less than its 306-mile rating, and about 206 miles in the coldest week of the year (around January 18, when it averages 19°F). By April it's back to about 295. Charging at home at Wisconsin's average rate (19.1¢/kWh) costs about $76 a month for 38 miles a day, against $200 for an average small SUV on the Midwest's gas. Madison's grid (MRO East) is 82% dirtier than the US average, but charging on it still makes 41% 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 rangeEstimated
295mi
At Madison's typical October day, 50°F · 35% highway
Winter lowEstimated
206mi
January, 19°F; Jan 18–24 at 19°F · lows near 11°F
Home chargingEstimated
$76/mo
6.6¢ a mile at 19.1¢/kWh. Average small SUV: $200/mo
Madison's grid
1.40lb CO₂/kWh
MRO East (EPA eGRID): 82% dirtier than the US, 41% less CO₂ than gas
Madison, 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 · 23°F
28% below its 306-mile rating · coldest week 206 mi
222mi
Spring Mar–May · 46°F
7% below its rating
286mi
Summer Jun–Aug · 70°F
3% below its rating
296mi
Fall Sep–Nov · 49°FNow
6% below its rating
289mi
A Model Y's range through a Madison yearEstimated
Each month at Madison's 30-year normal temperature, 35% highway. 103 days a year average below freezing.
How far it goes from Madison, on real roadsEstimated
In October, from a full charge with 10% in reserve: about 133 mi out and back, 265 mi one way (January: 188 mi). Dots are DC fast chargers by network.
Fast charging around Madison
PlugLog's map of every public charger. Tesla-only Superchargers aren't counted.
- 26DC fast chargers within 25 mi
- 2.8 mito the nearest
- ChargePoint102 in reach
- EVgo62
- Tesla Supercharger60
- EV Connect57
- Blink53
Road trips in October, about, by road: Grand Rapids (239 mi) and Chicago (155 mi) one way on a charge; Minneapolis (288 mi) with one fast stop.
Questions Madison drivers ask
How far can a Model Y go in a Madison winter?
About 209 miles on a typical January day (19°F) and about 206 in the coldest week of the year (around January 18, 19°F on average), estimated from real EV drives at those temperatures. That's 32–33% below its 306-mile rating, mostly from heating the cabin and the battery. Madison averages 103 days a year below freezing.
How much does it cost to charge a Model Y in Madison?
About $76 a month at home for 38 miles a day, at Wisconsin's average home electricity rate of 19.1¢/kWh: about 6.6¢ a mile. An average small SUV on the Midwest's average gas ($4.14 a gallon) costs about $200 a month for the same driving.
Can I charge a Model Y on a regular 120 V outlet in Madison?
At 38 miles a day, most of the year: a 120 V outlet adds about 49 miles in 12 hours on an average day, but about 35 in the coldest week, so it can fall a little behind then. A 240 V outlet fills it from 10% in about 11 hours.
Is it greener to drive electric on Madison's grid?
Yes. Madison's grid (MRO East) is 82% dirtier than the US average, but a Model Y charged on it still makes 41% 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 Madison
Sources: temperatures, 30-year normals (NOAA 1991–2020) at Madison Dane Rgnl Airport, WI; home electricity, EIA (Wisconsin, July 2026); gas, EIA weekly (the Midwest); 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.