PlugLog

Reality Check · Sacramento, CA

2026 Tesla Model Y in Sacramento, CA

Winter range, charging cost and how far it goes, worked out for Sacramento's weather, grid and prices.

Winter barely touches range in Sacramento: at a typical January's 49°F, a Model Y gets an estimated 295 miles on a charge, within 4% of its 306-mile rating. Charging at home at California's average rate (33.6¢/kWh) costs about $122 a month for 38 miles a day, against $291 for an average small SUV on California's gas. And Sacramento's grid (WECC California), 44% cleaner than the US average, makes it 84% less CO₂ than gas.

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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

295mi

At Sacramento's typical October day, 66°F · 35% highway

Winter lowEstimated

295mi

January, 49°F · lows near 40°F

Home chargingEstimated

$122/mo

10.5¢ a mile at 33.6¢/kWh. Average small SUV: $291/mo

Sacramento's grid

0.43lb CO₂/kWh

WECC California (EPA eGRID): 44% cleaner than the US, 84% less CO₂ than gas

Sacramento, 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 · 50°F

4% below its 306-mile rating · coldest week 295 mi

295mi

Spring Mar–May · 62°F

4% below its rating

295mi

Summer Jun–Aug · 76°F

About its rating

299mi

Fall Sep–Nov · 65°FNow

3% below its rating

296mi

A Model Y's range through a Sacramento yearEstimated

Each month at Sacramento's 30-year normal temperature, 35% highway. No day of the year averages below freezing.

295
Jan49°
294
Feb53°
294
Mar57°
294
Apr61°
296
May68°
298
Jun74°
300
Jul78°
299
Aug77°
298
Sep74°
295
Now66°
294
Nov55°
295
Dec49°

How far it goes from Sacramento, on real roads

In October, from a full charge with 10% in reserve: about 133 mi out and back, 266 mi one way (January: 265 mi). Dots are DC fast chargers by network.

Fast charging around Sacramento

PlugLog's map of every public charger. Tesla-only Superchargers aren't counted.

  • 176DC fast chargers within 25 mi
  • 0.2 mito the nearest
  • EVgo368 in reach
  • Tesla Supercharger251
  • ChargePoint235
  • Electrify America147
  • EVCS70

Road trips in October, about, by road: Fresno (192 mi) and San Jose (112 mi) one way on a charge; Bakersfield (324 mi) with one fast stop.

Questions Sacramento drivers ask

How far can a Model Y go in a Sacramento winter?

Sacramento's winters are mild: about 295 miles on a typical January day (49°F) and about the same in the coldest week (around December 24, 48°F), estimated from real EV drives at those temperatures. That's within 4% of its 306-mile rating.

How much does it cost to charge a Model Y in Sacramento?

About $122 a month at home for 38 miles a day, at California's average home electricity rate of 33.6¢/kWh: about 10.5¢ a mile. An average small SUV on California's average gas ($6.03 a gallon) costs about $291 a month for the same driving.

Can I charge a Model Y on a regular 120 V outlet in Sacramento?

At 38 miles a day, yes, all year: a 120 V outlet adds about 49 miles in 12 hours even in Sacramento's coldest week, and about 49 on an average day.

Is it greener to drive electric on Sacramento's grid?

Yes, more than most places. Sacramento's grid (WECC California) is 44% cleaner than the US average, so a Model Y charged on it makes 84% 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 Sacramento

Sources: temperatures, 30-year normals (NOAA 1991–2020) at Sacramento 5 Ese, CA; home electricity, EIA (California, July 2026); gas, EIA weekly (California); 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.