People will be more likely to buy an electric car if the range is cheap. The 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV is sure to go in that direction. Before tax breaks, the base Equinox EV costs $34,995. Most front-wheel drive cars can go about 319 miles on a single charge. Those are some very tough numbers to beat. Now, all GM has to do is make sure the launch goes perfectly.
The Equinox EV is a reasonably priced car, but the base model is not available at this time. The top-of-the-line RS car I was driving had the same range and powers as the base model, but it looked sportier, felt better to drive, and had a nicer interior. Chevy says that all trim levels will be available in the first year of production. However, the Equinox RS I drove, which costs about $50,000, won’t win many people over because of its price.
Lucky for us, Equinox’s main flaw is that it was initially only offered in more expensive models. While the Silverado EV RST and the Equinox both use the same battery parts, the Chevrolet seems more comfortable and lighter to drive. It feels smooth, which isn’t common for cars in this class. It looks like a crossover with a lot of room and good gas mileage. There’s not much to like about the Equinox EV. Failure is necessary for it to work.
The Equinox has a single electric motor that makes 213 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. It drives the front wheels. This is enough for around town, but the power drops when going fast on the highway. This is probably because the car has a very low working voltage and a high front-drive ratio (almost 12:1). With the same battery, all-wheel-drive cars can only go 285 miles on their 288 horsepower and 333 pound-feet of torque.
However, because higher model levels come with Super Cruise, GM’s hands-free highway driving system, limited highway performance is fine. Now that you can cruise freely on 400,000 miles of roads and another 750,000 miles are on the way, traveling is less boring.
We will take a close look at the base Equinox models’ interiors when they arrive, but Chevy’s RS model’s interior is worth the extra money. A lot of the surfaces are soft to the touch and have bright pops of color to break up the monotony. There are also only so many materials that look cheap. A few easy buttons feel cheap when you touch them. The extra comfort options on my RS, like heated and cooled seats, made the ride nice.
Even though GM’s high-end brand has recently made big changes to the way the inside looks, the Equinox is still better than a Cadillac. An 11.0-inch digital instrument panel and a 17.7-inch infotainment screen that is both big and useful finish off the look. These cars come with Google features like Assistant, Maps, and the Play Store, just like the Silverado. There is a lot of legroom in the back because the car has a long wheelbase.
The longer frame also makes the car look good from the outside. The Equinox EV has a style that is both sporty and classic. The deeply carved taillights and solid front lightbar look like they belong in the future, but they feel like they belong in the present. The roof can be painted black or white, which is a great feature, and the many trim choices let you choose a style that fits your needs. Most people should like the way this car looks better than the Lyriq or Optiq, which are easier to get to.
One hundred fifty kilowatts is a good charging rate, but it could be better in its class. Chevy says that the battery can be charged in 10 minutes and has a range of 77 miles. The Equinox can’t be charged as quickly as cars with higher voltages, like the Chevy Blazer EV, which can reach 190 kW, because its operating voltage is low. However, 150 kW is a lot more power than the first Chevy Bolt, which only had 50 kW until the new Bolt came out in 2025.
A big part of the Equinox’s comfort comes from its lightness. The Silverado EV weighs 9,000 pounds, while the Equinox weighs about 5,000 pounds. However, Chevy has not yet given an exact weight estimate. The crossing is important for something this big, even though it’s not very heavy in the grand scheme of things.
That’s why the ride is smooth, even with 20-inch wheels. Minor flaws in the road are obvious, but they don’t bother you. There is also good control over how the body moves. Overall, it looks like the Equinox is taking ideas from the Lyriq; it chooses comfortable daily travel over very precise cornering.
Because of this, all four corners of lower-end cars have 245-millimeter tires, while all four corners of RS models have 275-millimeter tires. For an electric vehicle, the old tires are too wide. Getting a smaller set will increase the range.
Most people think that the Equinox will be a success. When you compare it to other 315-mile EVs on the market, this one is the cheapest. So, the value stays the same whether it’s a Chevy Equinox or another brand. Prices drop to $27,500 before location when the tax credit is taken into account. Most people who want to buy an EV will need help to turn down that deal.
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