The EV revolution is truly upon us and almost every manufacturer’s 2024 lineup reflects this new shift in the market. As one of the Big Three automakers in the U.S., General Motors has been hard at work giving the electric treatment to its existing fleet of vehicles, and the upcoming Chevy Equinox EV is part of this new strategy.
First introduced in 2004 as a crossover SUV, the Equinox is about to enter its fourth generation in the 2024 model year and will go on sale in the fall of 2023, and the first one as an all-electric vehicle. The new generation will come in a number of trims, with the standard one powered by a single electric motor churning out 210 horsepower and a battery big enough to take it at least 250 miles on a single charge. The exterior is also getting a significant overhaul and now looks much more futuristic, rounding off a much-needed refresh to Chevy’s affordable SUV lineup.
The EV market is a completely different ballgame from the traditional ICE-powered vehicle market, and Chevy is eager to get ahead of the competition as it matures. The upcoming Equinox EV looks all set to prove itself as a reliable and practical electric SUV, and here are 10 things that make the Chevy Equinox EV a true game-changer.
1 It Is Bringing A Fresh New Look To A Familiar Name
The Equinox has been a staple of Chevy’s SUV lineup for quite some time now and people have come to expect a certain look and feel from it, but the new EV version is bringing about a big design overhaul to fit in with the ethos of Chevy’s updated and electrified lineup. The front end of the Equinox EV is dominated by a sleek light bar that stretches across its whole width, setting the tone for the rest of the design which represents the imminent electric future of the automotive industry.
Chevy Equinox EV Exterior Dimensions
|
Wheelbase |
116 inches |
|---|---|
|
Length |
190 inches |
|
Width |
75 inches |
|
Height |
64 inches |
For long-time and faithful fans of the Equinox, it is bringing about a much-needed update to the existing formula, and for first-time buyers, it is a compelling choice with a sleek design full of futuristic features such as front and rear walk-up lighting animations
2 The Equinox EV Is Built On GM’s New Platform
The Chevy Equinox EV is set to be built upon GM’s Ultium platform. If you follow GM, you might have heard this name a lot already, since it is touted to be a game-changing electric vehicle platform built on a flexible battery architecture for the production of EVs across different vehicle types, ranging from affordable ones like the Equinox EV to ludicrous ones like the Hummer EV.
Chevy Equinox EV Specs
|
Model |
Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD |
Chevrolet Equinox EV eAWD |
|---|---|---|
|
Powertrain |
One electric motor |
Dual electric motors |
|
Power |
210 horsepower |
290 horsepower |
|
Torque |
242 pound-feet |
346 pound-feet |
|
0-60mph |
6 seconds |
3.5 seconds |
|
Electric Range |
Up to 300 miles |
Up to 280 miles |
|
Charging Time |
35 minutes@150kW |
40 minutes@150kW |
The platform will allow GM to build front-wheel, rear-wheel, and all-wheel drive vehicles all using one platform, providing more versatility to engineers and customers alike. The Ultium platform is also bringing performance upgrades and off-road capabilities, setting the Equinox EV to be a formidable competitor in the electric SUV market for a long time to come.
3 It Will Be Offered In Various Different Trims To Fit Your Needs
One of the new Equinox EV’s biggest selling points is versatility, which is reflected in everything from the platform to the number of trims on offer. The ICE-powered version of the Equinox is offered in four trims, but Chevy is taking that up a notch with the Equinox EV by creating as many as five different trims.
The base 1LT trim will start at around $30,000 and the top-of-the-line 3RS version will set you back at least $44,000. All of these trims differ in everything from power and range to interior features and colors, meaning you get to pick the exact one that suits your needs and maximize the value of the money you spend on it.
4 The Chevy Equinox EV Will Offer eAWD On All Trims
Most electric cars offer different trims for front-wheel or all-wheel configurations, and this can often prove to be a limiting factor for consumers. For the Equinox EV, though, Chevy is giving you the option to equip any trim you want with electric all-wheel-drive or eAWD. The standard front-wheel drive version has a single electric drive unit producing 210 horsepower and 242 pound-feet of torque, and the eAWD version bumps this up to 290 horsepower and 346 pound-feet.
The FWD version does offer more range, though, with an FWD Equinox EV with the larger battery pack providing 300 miles of range, while the eAWD version with the same battery pack offers a reduced 280 miles of range on one charge. Whether or not getting eAWD is worth sacrificing 20 miles of range is up to consumers, but having the option to do so makes the Equinox EV an even more versatile offering.
5 No Need To Manually Fire Up This EV
Automatic startup isn’t something new to the market, and manufacturers have been offering the ability to start your car remotely for decades, but Chevy is putting a new spin on it for the Equinox EV. Unlike one of those old-school cars where you have to actually press a button to start up your car, the Equinox EV comes with a sensor that detects the key fob on you when you enter your vehicle and starts it up automatically, meaning you are ready to go as soon as you get in.
This is a small feature that probably won’t be influencing a lot of buying decisions, but novel things like this reflect the attention to detail given by manufacturers to their vehicles, and that certainly bodes well for the Equinox EV.
6 The Equinox EV Comes With A Ton Of High-Tech Features
Electric vehicles are hailed as the future of the automotive market, and this means that every new EV should come with state-of-the-art tech features that elevate it above existing models. For its part, Chevy has equipped the Equinox EV with tons of safety and high-tech features, including GM’s new Super Cruise driver assistance system. The Equinox EV comes standard with the Chevy Safety Assist suite that includes features such as:
- Automatic emergency braking
- Front pedestrian braking
- Lane keep assist
- Lane departure warning
- Forward collision alert
- Following distance indicator
- Intellibeam automatic high beams
If that isn’t enough, you also get the option of equipping your Equinox EV with automatic reverse braking, meaning your vehicle is safer than ever for both yourself and pedestrians.
7 No Dearth Of Cabin Or Cargo Space
Ample cargo space is one of the most desirable features of an SUV, and the Equinox EV is no different. It offers a large cargo area with room of up to 39.4 cubic feet of cargo with the rear seats up and as much as 57 cubic feet of space when you fold the rear seats down. The Equinox EV can also be equipped with a third row of seats, adding to its versatility score even more.
Chevy Equinox EV Interior Dimensions
|
Front headroom |
40.0 inches |
|---|---|
|
Rear headroom |
38.5 inches |
|
Front legroom |
40.9 inches |
|
Rear legroom |
39.9 inches |
|
Front shoulder room |
57.2 inches |
|
Rear shoulder room |
55.5 inches |
There are SUVs that offer more space in the same form factor, but they are often a lot more expensive, and the blend of efficiency and practicality offered by the Equinox EV is rivaled by a few other upcoming electric vehicles.
8 The Interior Will Be A Lot More Futuristic
One thing that seems to be common among all upcoming electric vehicles is the presence of large screens on the dashboard. Chevy is jumping on the same trend with the Equinox EV. All Equinox EV models are equipped with an 11.0-inch digital instrument cluster and the size of the infotainment screen depends on the trim you opt for.
The base version of the Equinox EV is equipped with an 11.0-inch screen, but upgrading to the 2LT or one of the higher trims gets you a lot more screen real estate thanks to the much larger 17.7-inch central screen. Factor in the other necessary features such as wireless charging and OTA software updates, and you get a very well-rounded interior setup perfectly poised for the future market landscape.
9 The New Equinox EV Will Play A Crucial Role In Chevy’s Future
The Chevy Bolt has been Chevrolet’s premiere affordable EV offering for a long time now, but it has had more than its fair share of issues, and eventually, the competition caught up with it. With the Equinox EV, Chevy is aiming to reclaim its lost market share, and everything about it seems to be set up to appeal to the budget buyer.
The starting price isn’t very high for an EV, there are ample amounts of power, the interior is well-equipped and the exterior design is modern and stylish. All of this combines to create a balanced package that is well-positioned to fill the hole in Chevy’s lineup left by the Bolt, and the knowledge Chevy gained by tackling the many issues it faced only helps the Equinox EV’s case even more.
10 It Offers Maximum Bang For Your Buck
Affordability is what the Equinox EV is all about, and the pricing structure is being set up to provide as much bang for the buck as possible. GM hasn’t announced the final pricing yet, but the base 1LT version is expected to have an MSRP of around $30,000, and the highest 3RS trim is expected to cost no more than $44,000.
Chevy Equinox EV Pricing
|
Trim |
Est. Price |
|
Chevrolet Equinox EV 1LT |
$30,000 |
|
Chevrolet Equinox EV 2LT |
$34,000 |
|
Chevrolet Equinox EV 3LT |
$37,000 |
|
Chevrolet Equinox EV2 RS |
$40,000 |
|
Chevrolet Equinox EV 3RS |
$44,000 |
There has been some controversy surrounding the pricing already, with calls for GM to stand by its earlier claims of having a starting price tag of $30,000. Regardless of whether or not that happens, the Equinox EV looks like a very well-equipped package compared to other EVs with the same price point, and it could actually be the most affordable electric vehicle in the compact EV segment when it makes it to consumers.
