Reality Check · Wichita, KS
2026 Tesla Model Y in Wichita, KS
Winter range, charging cost and how far it goes, worked out for Wichita's weather, grid and prices.
Wichita's winters are cool rather than cold: on a typical January day (33°F) a Model Y gets an estimated 264 miles, 14% under its 306-mile rating, about the same as in the coldest week (around January 5, when it averages 33°F). By March it's back to about 295. Charging at home at Kansas's average rate (15.3¢/kWh) costs about $56 a month for 38 miles a day, about a third of the $200 an average small SUV costs on the Midwest's gas. Wichita's grid (SPP North) is 12% dirtier than the US average, but charging on it still makes 66% 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
293mi
At Wichita's typical October day, 59°F · 35% highway
Winter lowEstimated
263mi
January, 33°F · lows near 22°F
Home chargingEstimated
$56/mo
4.9¢ a mile at 15.3¢/kWh. Average small SUV: $200/mo
Wichita's grid
0.86lb CO₂/kWh
SPP North (EPA eGRID): 12% dirtier than the US, 66% less CO₂ than gas
Wichita, 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 · 35°F
11% below its 306-mile rating · coldest week 263 mi
273mi
Spring Mar–May · 57°F
4% below its rating
295mi
Summer Jun–Aug · 79°F
About its rating
301mi
Fall Sep–Nov · 59°FNow
4% below its rating
295mi
A Model Y's range through a Wichita yearEstimated
Each month at Wichita's 30-year normal temperature, 35% highway. No day of the year averages below freezing.
How far it goes from Wichita, on real roads
In October, from a full charge with 10% in reserve: about 132 mi out and back, 264 mi one way (January: 238 mi). Dots are DC fast chargers by network.
Fast charging around Wichita
PlugLog's map of every public charger. Tesla-only Superchargers aren't counted.
- 14DC fast chargers within 25 mi
- 3.7 mito the nearest
- Francis Energy82 in reach
- EV Energy Group (FCN)79
- ChargePoint68
- Tesla Supercharger43
- EV Connect34
Road trips in October, about, by road: Fayetteville (260 mi) and Kansas City (226 mi) one way on a charge; Omaha (320 mi) with one fast stop.
Questions Wichita drivers ask
How far can a Model Y go in a Wichita winter?
About 264 miles on a typical January day (33°F) and about the same in the coldest week of the year (around January 5, 33°F on average), estimated from real EV drives at those temperatures. That's 14% below its 306-mile rating, mostly from heating the cabin and the battery.
How much does it cost to charge a Model Y in Wichita?
About $56 a month at home for 38 miles a day, at Kansas's average home electricity rate of 15.3¢/kWh: about 4.9¢ 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 Wichita?
At 38 miles a day, yes, all year: a 120 V outlet adds about 44 miles in 12 hours even in Wichita's coldest week, and about 49 on an average day.
Is it greener to drive electric on Wichita's grid?
Yes. Wichita's grid (SPP North) is 12% dirtier than the US average, but a Model Y charged on it still makes 66% 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 Wichita
Sources: temperatures, 30-year normals (NOAA 1991–2020) at Wichita, KS; home electricity, EIA (Kansas, 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.