Reality Check · Tucson, AZ
2026 Tesla Model Y in Tucson, AZ
Winter range, charging cost and how far it goes, worked out for Tucson's weather, grid and prices.
Winter barely touches range in Tucson: at a typical January's 54°F, a Model Y gets an estimated 294 miles on a charge, within 4% of its 306-mile rating. Summer is the harder season here: at July's 88°F average (highs near 100°F), air conditioning trims it to about 311 miles. Charging at home at Arizona's average rate (15.4¢/kWh) costs about $55 a month for 38 miles a day, about a third of the $241 an average small SUV costs on the West Coast's gas. On Tucson's grid (WECC Southwest), about the US average, it makes 73% 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
297mi
At Tucson's typical October day, 73°F · 35% highway
Winter low
294mi
January, 54°F · lows near 40°F
Home chargingEstimated
$55/mo
4.8¢ a mile at 15.4¢/kWh. Average small SUV: $241/mo
Tucson's grid
0.70lb CO₂/kWh
WECC Southwest (EPA eGRID): about the US average, 73% less CO₂ than gas
Tucson, 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 · 54°F
4% below its 306-mile rating · coldest week 294 mi
294mi
Spring Mar–May · 69°F
3% below its rating
296mi
Summer Jun–Aug · 87°F
About its rating
310mi
Fall Sep–Nov · 72°FNow
About its rating
299mi
A Model Y's range through a Tucson yearEstimated
Each month at Tucson's 30-year normal temperature, 35% highway. No day of the year averages below freezing.
How far it goes from Tucson, on real roads
In October, from a full charge with 10% in reserve: about 134 mi out and back, 268 mi one way (January: 265 mi). Dots are DC fast chargers by network.
Fast charging around Tucson
PlugLog's map of every public charger. Tesla-only Superchargers aren't counted.
- 29DC fast chargers within 25 mi
- 3.4 mito the nearest
- Tesla Supercharger36 in reach
- EVgo34
- ChargePoint29
- Electrify America27
- Blink16
Road trips in October, about, by road: Phoenix (151 mi) one way on a charge; El Paso (326 mi) with one fast stop.
Questions Tucson drivers ask
How far can a Model Y go in a Tucson winter?
Tucson's winters are mild: about 294 miles on a typical January day (54°F) and about the same in the coldest week (around December 20, 52°F), estimated from real EV drives at those temperatures. That's within 4% of its 306-mile rating. The harder season here is summer: about 311 miles in July, with the air conditioning on.
How much does it cost to charge a Model Y in Tucson?
About $55 a month at home for 38 miles a day, at Arizona's average home electricity rate of 15.4¢/kWh: about 4.8¢ a mile. An average small SUV on the West Coast's average gas ($5.01 a gallon) costs about $241 a month for the same driving.
Can I charge a Model Y on a regular 120 V outlet in Tucson?
At 38 miles a day, yes, all year: a 120 V outlet adds about 49 miles in 12 hours even in Tucson's coldest week, and about 50 on an average day.
Is it greener to drive electric on Tucson's grid?
Yes. Tucson's grid (WECC Southwest) is about the US average, and a Model Y charged on it makes 73% 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 Tucson
Sources: temperatures, 30-year normals (NOAA 1991–2020) at Tucson International Airport, AZ; home electricity, EIA (Arizona, July 2026); gas, EIA weekly (the West Coast); 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.