We are on the cusp of the EV revolution, and everyone wants a piece of the pie. With multiple states already set to ban the sale of new internal combustion engines by 2035 and emissions regulations getting tighter every day, manufacturers are scrambling to update their lineups. Chevrolet is no different, and at CES 2022, General Motors revealed a model that could prove to be very important for their electrification strategy: the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV. First introduced in 2004, the Equinox is a crossover SUV that went through three generations before the EV version was unveiled last year. The Equinox EV is set to go on sale in the fall of 2023 as the 2024 model year and has some promising specs. This includes a permanent magnet e-motor with a power output of about 210 horsepower in the standard trim coupled with a large battery that should offer a range between 250 and 300 miles per charge. The exterior has been redesigned from the ground up and the new EV version bears little resemblance to its ICE predecessors. It will be offered in five different trims, so keep an eye on those before making a buying decision. Here are 10 things you should know about the upcoming Chevrolet Equinox EV.
10 The Equinox EV Will Be Offered In Five Trims
The Equinox EV will be available in LT and RS levels, which are further broken down into five trims: 1LT, 2LT, 3LT, 2RS, and 3RS. The LT will have black with blue interior or gray, while the RS will come with black with red or an all-red interior. The base 1LT is the only trim with a range of 250 miles, while the rest of the trims come with the bigger 80kWH battery and a range of 300 miles. The base 1LT trim will have an 11-inch touchscreen while the rest of the trims will have a 17.7-inch touchscreen. Higher trims will also feature a full-length light bar.
9 It Will Be Based On The Same Platform As The Hummer EV
The Chevrolet Equinox EV will be based on GM's Ultium platform. The Ultium platform is the new EV battery and motor architecture developed by GM for their upcoming electric vehicles and was first unveiled in 2020. The new division is further broken down into Ultium Drive and Ultimate Battery subdivisions. It covers front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive propulsion combinations, and even includes high-performance and off-road capabilities. Ultium is touted as a multi-segment platform shared by many different models and various brands, including future models by Honda and Acura. The already-released GMC Hummer EV and the upcoming Chevrolet Blazer and Silverado EVs are based on the same platform. The platform is considered so flexible that GM will use it in each of its upcoming electric vehicles, ranging from cars to full-size trucks.
8 The Equinox EV Supports Up To 150 kW Fast-Charging
Now that EVs are becoming commonplace, charging times are a serious concern. No one wants to spend hours at the charging station, and it is still one of the biggest talking points when it comes to widespread EV adoption. Fortunately, Chevy has taken steps to ensure that this doesn't happen with the Equinox EV. It will come with 150 kW DC fast-charging capability that can add 70 miles of range in just 10 minutes of charging. It will also be compatible with 11.5kW Level 2 AC charging, meaning you could add about 34 miles of range per hour of charging at an at-home 240-volt charging station. The top-of-the-line 3RS eAWD variant will also be compatible with 19.2kW AC charging which can add 51 miles of range for every hour of charging at home.
7 An eAWD Version Will Be Available On All Trims
The Equinox EV will be available in two drivetrain configurations. The standard front-wheel drive has a single electric drive unit producing around 210 horsepower and 242 pound-feet of torque. If you opt for the dual-motor electric all-wheel drive configuration, the output jumps up to 290 horsepower and 346 pound-feet of torque. On the other hand, the range could take a hit depending on the trim you get. An FWD Equinox EV with a large battery pack will provide you with 300 miles of range, but the eAWD version will bring that range down to 280 miles. If having that much power is essential for you, eAWD is the way to go, otherwise investing in one of the longer-range models could be a safer option.
6 The 'Equinox' With A New Look
The Chevrolet Equinox has been around for a while. First introduced in the early 2000s, the ICE-powered Equinox is currently in its third generation. The Equinox EV, however, is a complete departure from the existing design language. It will be longer and sleeker than the older models and seems more like the progression of the Bolt EV than a direct successor to the Equinox. It will be available in five different colors and is immediately recognizable as a modern EV by GM. It will even come with gizmos such as front and rear walk-up lighting animations in the higher trims. The front-end is entirely different from its gas-powered counterpart thanks to the thin light bar stretching across the full width of the vehicle, and you'd be forgiven for thinking that the two cars aren't related to each other at all while viewing from the front.
5 The Interior Will Be High-Tech And Come With Massive Screens
Screens play a big role in our lives these days, and EV interiors are no different. Considered by some to be invasive, huge infotainment displays are becoming a norm in modern car interiors. All Equinox EV models will come with an 11.0-inch digital instrument cluster, with the infotainment screen size depending on the trim you pick. The base version will have an 11.0-inch screen, but an upgrade to 2LT and above will provide you with a much bigger 17.7-inch central screen. You could even get a premium Bose audio system on the highest 3LT and 3RS trims. All models will come equipped with a wireless charger to keep your phone juiced up, along with GM's intelligent Ultifi system to ensure over-the-air software updates.
4 Chevy Has Equipped It With 'Super Cruise'
GM revealed a new driver assistance system in 2020 dubbed the Super Cruise. It makes use of a number of sensors, radars, and cameras to steer, accelerate, and brake automatically within your car's lane. Super Cruise was initially only available on the Cadillac CT6, but GM announced that it will be expanded to at least 23 new vehicles by 2023, and the Chevy Equinox EV is one of them. The system uses GPS sensing and data to maintain automatic control of the vehicle similar to Tesla's Autopilot system. As of right now, it is compatible with 400,000 miles of roads in the United States and Canada and the new feature could come in particularly handy during long road trips.
3 It Will Beat The Chevy Bolt EV In Many Ways
The Chevy Bolt EV is the other compact electric SUV by Chevrolet. The Bolt EV is a more affordable option, but the Equinox EV will have much more space and will be more feature-rich as well. For starters, the Equinox EV will come with a more capable motor producing 210 horsepower while the Bolt EV produces 200 horsepower. The Equinox EV will even offer an upgrade to 290 horsepower and an additional 50 miles of range to bump it up to 300 miles, but Bolt EV owners will have to stay content with a maximum of 247 miles of range. Since the Bolt EV has been around for much longer, it is based on an older platform while the upcoming Equinox EV will be based on GM's new Ultium platform, meaning it could get a significant boost in performance and efficiency.
2 The Equinox EV Will Be An Affordable Offering
The base 1LT trim of the Chevrolet Equinox will have an MSRP of $30,000. This trim will offer a 60kWH battery with an estimated range of 250 miles per charge. Higher trims are expected to have a range of 300 miles with a beefed-up battery back. While Chevy has not revealed the final prices for the higher-spec trims yet, the highest 3RS trim is not expected to cost more than $45,000. When you compare the features and amount of space offered by the Equinox EV to the cheapest EVs in the market right now in the $20,000-range, the Equinox EV seems like a very compelling deal. In fact, the Chevrolet Equinox EV could very well be the most affordable electric vehicle in the compact SUV EV segment.
1 The Cheapest Trim, However, Won't Be Available Until 2024
The Chevrolet Equinox EV is set to go on sale this fall for the 2024 model year, but there’s a catch. The only trim that will be available this year is the 2RS trim. The rest of the trims will follow in the Spring of 2024. Chevy has not detailed any specific reasons for this, but production or supply chain issues could have something to do with it. If you are in the market for an electric SUV this year, bear in mind that the only Equinox EV you will only be able to get is the limited-edition 2RS with up to 300 miles of range. If you want the cheaper Equinox EV, or one of the higher-spec ones, you are going to have to wait some more.