Reality Check · Winston-Salem, NC
2026 Tesla Model Y in Winston-Salem, NC
Winter range, charging cost and how far it goes, worked out for Winston-Salem's weather, grid and prices.
Winter barely touches range in Winston-Salem: at a typical January's 40°F, a Model Y gets an estimated 291 miles on a charge, within 5% of its 306-mile rating. Charging at home at North Carolina's average rate (15.2¢/kWh) costs about $55 a month for 38 miles a day, about a third of the $186 an average small SUV costs on the Lower Atlantic's gas. And Winston-Salem's grid (SERC Virginia/Carolina), 23% cleaner than the US average, makes it 77% 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 Winston-Salem's typical October day, 60°F · 35% highway
Winter lowEstimated
289mi
January, 40°F · lows near 31°F
Home chargingEstimated
$55/mo
4.8¢ a mile at 15.2¢/kWh. Average small SUV: $186/mo
Winston-Salem's grid
0.59lb CO₂/kWh
SERC Virginia/Carolina (EPA eGRID): 23% cleaner than the US, 77% less CO₂ than gas
Winston-Salem, 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 · 42°F
4% below its 306-mile rating · coldest week 289 mi
294mi
Spring Mar–May · 59°F
4% below its rating
295mi
Summer Jun–Aug · 77°F
About its rating
299mi
Fall Sep–Nov · 60°FNow
4% below its rating
295mi
A Model Y's range through a Winston-Salem yearEstimated
Each month at Winston-Salem's 30-year normal temperature, 35% highway. No day of the year averages below freezing.
How far it goes from Winston-Salem, on real roads
In October, from a full charge with 10% in reserve: about 132 mi out and back, 264 mi one way (January: 262 mi). Dots are DC fast chargers by network.
Fast charging around Winston-Salem
PlugLog's map of every public charger. Tesla-only Superchargers aren't counted.
- 32DC fast chargers within 25 mi
- 2.3 mito the nearest
- Tesla Supercharger150 in reach
- ChargePoint138
- EV Connect111
- EVgo102
- Electrify America37
Road trips in October, about, by road: Knoxville (258 mi) and Richmond (229 mi) one way on a charge; Augusta (269 mi) with one fast stop.
Questions Winston-Salem drivers ask
How far can a Model Y go in a Winston-Salem winter?
Winston-Salem's winters are mild: about 291 miles on a typical January day (40°F) and about the same in the coldest week (around January 11, 39°F), estimated from real EV drives at those temperatures. That's within 5% of its 306-mile rating.
How much does it cost to charge a Model Y in Winston-Salem?
About $55 a month at home for 38 miles a day, at North Carolina's average home electricity rate of 15.2¢/kWh: about 4.8¢ a mile. An average small SUV on the Lower Atlantic's average gas ($3.86 a gallon) costs about $186 a month for the same driving.
Can I charge a Model Y on a regular 120 V outlet in Winston-Salem?
At 38 miles a day, yes, all year: a 120 V outlet adds about 49 miles in 12 hours even in Winston-Salem's coldest week, and about 49 on an average day.
Is it greener to drive electric on Winston-Salem's grid?
Yes, more than most places. Winston-Salem's grid (SERC Virginia/Carolina) is 23% cleaner than the US average, so a Model Y charged on it makes 77% 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 Winston-Salem
Sources: temperatures, 30-year normals (NOAA 1991–2020) at Winston Salem Rynlds Airport, NC; home electricity, EIA (North Carolina, July 2026); gas, EIA weekly (the Lower Atlantic); 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.