Will I make it from Chicago to Toledo?
In July, none of these popular EVs make it from Chicago to Toledo on a 90% charge with at least 10% to spare; in January, none do. The biggest winter drain: 25°F cold costs 28%.
245 miles, about 3 h 48 min of driving. Leaving at 8 AM on a typical January and July day.
Check your own car and charge level
January and July, car by car
Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD
January · 25°F
No
Runs out about 59 mi short
25°F cold costs 26%
July · 74°F
No
Runs out about 3 mi short
74°F heat costs 1%
Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD
January · 25°F
No
Runs out about 43 mi short
25°F cold costs 25%
July · 74°F
No
Arrives with 0–17%
74°F heat costs 1%
Ford Mustang Mach-E Extended Range AWD
January · 25°F
No
Runs out about 72 mi short
25°F cold costs 26%
July · 74°F
No
Runs out about 24 mi short
Highway driving uses 99%
Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD
January · 25°F
No
Runs out about 67 mi short
25°F cold costs 26%
July · 74°F
No
Runs out about 17 mi short
Highway driving uses 96%
Hyundai Ioniq 5 Long Range RWD
January · 25°F
No
Runs out about 78 mi short
25°F cold costs 28%
July · 74°F
No
Runs out about 32 mi short
Highway driving uses 103%
Yes means the low end of the range still arrives with 10% or more. Close means the likely answer does, but a colder or windier day might not. No means you'll need to stop.
Best fast-charging stops on the way
- Rolling Prairie, IN - S Knute Rockne Plaza - Tesla Supercharger — Rolling Prairie, IN · Tesla · mile 73 · up to 250 kW
- University Park Mall (Mishawaka, IN) — Mishawaka, IN · Electrify America · mile 97 · up to 350 kW
- Tiffin River Service Plaza (West Unity, OH) — West Unity, OH · Electrify America · mile 194 · up to 350 kW
Questions about this trip
Will I make it from Chicago to Toledo in winter?
On a mid-January morning, 0 of 5 popular EVs make the 245-mile drive from a 90% charge and arrive with at least 10%. Typical temperature on the way: 25°F.
Where should I charge between Chicago and Toledo?
The best DC fast-charging stops on the way, in order: Rolling Prairie, IN - S Knute Rockne Plaza - Tesla Supercharger (mile 73); University Park Mall (Mishawaka, IN) (mile 97); Tiffin River Service Plaza (West Unity, OH) (mile 194). Charge to about 80%; above that, charging slows sharply.
What uses the most battery between Chicago and Toledo?
On a January day in a Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, the single biggest drain is this: 25°F cold costs 26%.
What is the best EV for Chicago to Toledo?
None of the 5 popular EVs we check make it on a January day from a 90% start. The Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD gets closest, running out about 43 miles short. In July it arrives with about 6%.
How we work this out
Each answer drives the real road route in 30-meter steps: speed, climbs and descents (with regenerative braking), rolling resistance, cabin heating or cooling, a cold battery's lower capacity, and the typical wind. Temperatures are NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals for each place along the way. Every car is calibrated to its EPA highway rating. Each car starts at 90%.
Updated . Sources: Stadia Maps road routes and elevation, NOAA climate normals, fueleconomy.gov, and the U.S. DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center.