Will I make it from San Francisco to Sacramento?
In July, all 5 of these popular EVs make it from San Francisco to Sacramento on a 90% charge with at least 10% to spare; in January, all 5 do. The biggest winter drain: 45°F cold costs 3%.
88 miles, about 1 h 30 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 · 45°F
Yes
Arrives with 50–62%
45°F cold costs 3%
July · 63°F
Yes
Arrives with 54–63%
Highway driving uses 31%
Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD
January · 45°F
Yes
Arrives with 53–64%
45°F cold costs 3%
July · 63°F
Yes
Arrives with 57–65%
Highway driving uses 29%
Ford Mustang Mach-E Extended Range AWD
January · 45°F
Yes
Arrives with 46–60%
45°F cold costs 3%
July · 63°F
Yes
Arrives with 51–61%
Highway driving uses 34%
Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD
January · 45°F
Yes
Arrives with 48–61%
45°F cold costs 3%
July · 63°F
Yes
Arrives with 52–62%
Highway driving uses 32%
Hyundai Ioniq 5 Long Range RWD
January · 45°F
Yes
Arrives with 45–59%
45°F cold costs 3%
July · 63°F
Yes
Arrives with 49–60%
Highway driving uses 35%
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
- Jack London Square — Oakland, CA · EVgo · mile 9 · up to 350 kW
- Raley's Fairfield Travis — Fairfield, CA · EVgo · mile 46 · up to 350 kW
- BOA CA3-147 (Davis, CA) — Davis, CA · Electrify America · mile 73 · up to 350 kW
Questions about this trip
Will I make it from San Francisco to Sacramento in winter?
On a mid-January morning, 5 of 5 popular EVs make the 88-mile drive from a 90% charge and arrive with at least 10%. Typical temperature on the way: 45°F.
Where should I charge between San Francisco and Sacramento?
The best DC fast-charging stops on the way, in order: Jack London Square (mile 9); Raley's Fairfield Travis (mile 46); BOA CA3-147 (Davis, CA) (mile 73). Charge to about 80%; above that, charging slows sharply.
What uses the most battery between San Francisco and Sacramento?
On a January day in a Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, the single biggest drain is this: 45°F cold costs 3%.
What is the best EV for San Francisco to Sacramento?
Of the 5 popular EVs we check, the Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD arrives with the most charge on a January day: about 59% (53–64%) from a 90% start. In July it arrives with about 61%.
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.