Reality Check · Providence, RI
2026 Tesla Model Y in Providence, RI
Winter range, charging cost and how far it goes, worked out for Providence's weather, grid and prices.
Providence's winters are cool rather than cold: on a typical January day (30°F) a Model Y gets an estimated 252 miles, 18% under its 306-mile rating, about the same as in the coldest week (around January 20, when it averages 30°F). By April it's back to about 295. Charging at home at Rhode Island's average rate (28.3¢/kWh) costs about $106 a month for 38 miles a day, against $205 for an average small SUV on New England's gas. And Providence's grid (NPCC New England), 30% cleaner than the US average, makes it 79% 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 Providence's typical October day, 54°F · 35% highway
Winter lowEstimated
250mi
January, 30°F · lows near 21°F
Home chargingEstimated
$106/mo
9.2¢ a mile at 28.3¢/kWh. Average small SUV: $205/mo
Providence's grid
0.54lb CO₂/kWh
NPCC New England (EPA eGRID): 30% cleaner than the US, 79% less CO₂ than gas
Providence, 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 · 33°F
14% below its 306-mile rating · coldest week 250 mi
262mi
Spring Mar–May · 49°F
5% below its rating
292mi
Summer Jun–Aug · 72°F
About its rating
297mi
Fall Sep–Nov · 55°FNow
4% below its rating
295mi
A Model Y's range through a Providence yearEstimated
Each month at Providence's 30-year normal temperature, 35% highway. 46 days a year average below freezing.
How far it goes from Providence, on real roads
In October, from a full charge with 10% in reserve: about 132 mi out and back, 265 mi one way (January: 227 mi). Dots are DC fast chargers by network.
Fast charging around Providence
PlugLog's map of every public charger. Tesla-only Superchargers aren't counted.
- 106DC fast chargers within 25 mi
- 0.6 mito the nearest
- ChargePoint377 in reach
- Tesla Supercharger198
- EVgo168
- Electrify America92
- EV Connect72
Road trips in October, about, by road: New York (192 mi) and Albany (169 mi) one way on a charge; Allentown (284 mi) with one fast stop.
Questions Providence drivers ask
How far can a Model Y go in a Providence winter?
About 252 miles on a typical January day (30°F) and about the same in the coldest week of the year (around January 20, 30°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. Providence averages 46 days a year below freezing.
How much does it cost to charge a Model Y in Providence?
About $106 a month at home for 38 miles a day, at Rhode Island's average home electricity rate of 28.3¢/kWh: about 9.2¢ a mile. An average small SUV on New England's average gas ($4.25 a gallon) costs about $205 a month for the same driving.
Can I charge a Model Y on a regular 120 V outlet in Providence?
At 38 miles a day, yes, all year: a 120 V outlet adds about 42 miles in 12 hours even in Providence's coldest week, and about 49 on an average day.
Is it greener to drive electric on Providence's grid?
Yes, more than most places. Providence's grid (NPCC New England) is 30% cleaner than the US average, so a Model Y charged on it makes 79% 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 Providence
Sources: temperatures, 30-year normals (NOAA 1991–2020) at Providence T F Green Airport, RI; home electricity, EIA (Rhode Island, July 2026); gas, EIA weekly (New England); 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.