Will I make it from St. Louis to Indianapolis?
In July, none of these popular EVs make it from St. Louis to Indianapolis on a 90% charge with at least 10% to spare; in January, none do. The biggest winter drain: 27°F cold costs 25%.
242 miles, about 3 h 42 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 · 27°F
No
Runs out about 54 mi short
27°F cold costs 23%
July · 74°F
No
Runs out about 8 mi short
The 500 ft climb uses 2%
Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD
January · 27°F
No
Runs out about 42 mi short
27°F cold costs 22%
July · 74°F
No
Arrives with 0–15%
The 500 ft climb uses 2%
Ford Mustang Mach-E Extended Range AWD
January · 27°F
No
Runs out about 67 mi short
27°F cold costs 24%
July · 74°F
No
Runs out about 27 mi short
The 500 ft climb uses 2%
Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD
January · 27°F
No
Runs out about 63 mi short
27°F cold costs 24%
July · 74°F
No
Runs out about 20 mi short
The 500 ft climb uses 1%
Hyundai Ioniq 5 Long Range RWD
January · 27°F
No
Runs out about 74 mi short
27°F cold costs 25%
July · 74°F
No
Runs out about 35 mi short
The 500 ft climb uses 1%
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
- Pilot Travel Center 1219 — Vandalia, IL · EVgo · mile 66 · up to 350 kW
- Firefly Grill (Effingham, IL) — Effingham, IL · Electrify America · mile 101 · up to 350 kW
- Walmart 4235 (Terre Haute, IN) — Terre Haute, IN · Electrify America · mile 172 · up to 350 kW
Questions about this trip
Will I make it from St. Louis to Indianapolis in winter?
On a mid-January morning, 0 of 5 popular EVs make the 242-mile drive from a 90% charge and arrive with at least 10%. Typical temperature on the way: 27°F.
Where should I charge between St. Louis and Indianapolis?
The best DC fast-charging stops on the way, in order: Pilot Travel Center 1219 (mile 66); Firefly Grill (Effingham, IL) (mile 101); Walmart 4235 (Terre Haute, IN) (mile 172). Charge to about 80%; above that, charging slows sharply.
What uses the most battery between St. Louis and Indianapolis?
On a January day in a Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD, the single biggest drain is this: 27°F cold costs 23%.
What is the best EV for St. Louis to Indianapolis?
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 42 miles short. In July it arrives with about 4%.
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.