Will I make it from Denver to Grand Junction?
In July, none of these popular EVs make it from Denver to Grand Junction on a 90% charge with at least 10% to spare; in January, none do. The biggest winter drain: 22°F cold costs 28%.
243 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 · 22°F
No
Runs out about 58 mi short
22°F cold costs 27%
July · 65°F
No
Arrives with 0–11%
Eisenhower Tunnel climb uses 9%
Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD
January · 22°F
No
Runs out about 48 mi short
22°F cold costs 26%
July · 65°F
No
Arrives with 0–15%
Eisenhower Tunnel climb uses 10%
Ford Mustang Mach-E Extended Range AWD
January · 22°F
No
Runs out about 68 mi short
22°F cold costs 27%
July · 65°F
No
Runs out about 13 mi short
Eisenhower Tunnel climb uses 9%
Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD
January · 22°F
No
Runs out about 58 mi short
22°F cold costs 27%
July · 65°F
No
Arrives with 0–11%
Eisenhower Tunnel climb uses 7%
Hyundai Ioniq 5 Long Range RWD
January · 22°F
No
Runs out about 74 mi short
22°F cold costs 28%
July · 65°F
No
Runs out about 18 mi short
Eisenhower Tunnel climb uses 8%
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
- Marketplace at Bergen Park (Evergreen, CO) — Evergreen, CO · Electrify America · mile 22 · up to 350 kW
- East-West Resorts Edwards Station (Edwards, CO) — Edwards, CO · Electrify America · mile 110 · up to 350 kW
- Parachute, CO - Tesla Supercharger — Parachute, CO · Tesla · mile 199 · up to 250 kW
Questions about this trip
Will I make it from Denver to Grand Junction in winter?
On a mid-January morning, 0 of 5 popular EVs make the 243-mile drive from a 90% charge and arrive with at least 10%. Typical temperature on the way: 22°F.
Where should I charge between Denver and Grand Junction?
The best DC fast-charging stops on the way, in order: Marketplace at Bergen Park (Evergreen, CO) (mile 22); East-West Resorts Edwards Station (Edwards, CO) (mile 110); Parachute, CO - Tesla Supercharger (mile 199). Charge to about 80%; above that, charging slows sharply.
What uses the most battery between Denver and Grand Junction?
On a January day in a Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, the single biggest drain is this: 22°F cold costs 27%.
What is the best EV for Denver to Grand Junction?
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 48 miles short. In July it arrives with about 7%.
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.