All-New Compact Electric SUV
The 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV is hoping to be what many people have been waiting for—a 300+ mile all-electric range (AER) compact SUV that, with incentives, will be priced in the high $20,000 to low $30,000 range.
Our quick take is the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV is exactly the type electric vehicle auto manufacturers should be concentrating on. There is nothing flashy about this latest EV from Chevrolet, which is a good thing. It provides efficient and economical transportation with the features drivers want at an attractive price. The fact it runs on electricity is a positive, and should not stop anyone from considering the Equinox EV if this type and size vehicle fits their lifestyle.
The bottom line: If you are shopping to replace your current gasoline-powered SUV there is no reason for not visiting your Chevrolet dealer to seriously consider the Equinox EV. The time is now to drop preconceived negative thoughts, misconceptions and opinions about electric cars.
The automotive press were invited to Detroit, Michigan for a first drive of what will certainly be an important part of Chevrolet’s electric future. The first Equinox EV, available in June 2024, is the RS trim, the one reviewed here. (Ed. note: The RS and other trim levels are already showing up at local dealerships and for sale in California.). Clean Fleet Report will post reviews on the other trims after driving them sometime in the coming months.
To get started, here are the key elements of the Equinox EV.
Developed from the ground-up as a fully electric SUV using the Ultium Platform
Built in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, alongside the Blazer EV and Cadillac Optiq
Front-wheel drive and electric all-wheel drive (eAWD) options
Regenerative braking with one-pedal driving
Five trims: 1LT, 2LT, 2RS, 3LT and 3RS
Power and Driving Range Options
Single electric motor with front-wheel drive
213 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque
319 AER
Dual electric motors with eAWD
288 horsepower and 333 pound-feet of torque
280 mile AER
Charging
Level 2/240V@11.5 kW: up to 36 miles of range per hour of charging
DC Fast Charging@150kW: up to 77 miles of range can be added in 10 minutes
Features: Equinox EV RS
Seating for five adults
Power front seats: 8-way for the driver and 6-way for the passenger
Heated and ventilated front; heated rear outboard seats
Heated, flat bottom steering wheel
11.0-inch driver configurable instrument display
17.7-inch infotainment screen
Google built-in (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto not available)
Wireless phone charging
Wi-Fi hotspot
Dual zone automatic climate control
Super Cruise is optional
Panoramic sunroof is optional
Standard 21-inch aluminum wheels
1,500-pound tow rating
Walk-up lighting with front and rear animation
Power, remote and hands-free lift gate
Can use 174,000 public charging points in the USA and Canada
Behind the Wheel
Journalists on the program departed the Shinola Hotel in downtown Detroit and headed-out on a mostly freeway route, covering about 120 miles. The roads were smooth, which delivered an equally smooth ride. To sum it up, the Equinox EV rides nicely.
The drive route chosen by Chevrolet was to demonstrate how the expected buyer will use the Equinox EV. It will be an everyday egg-and-butter-getter, transportation for the kids to their music lessons and sports games, and for commuting. With the 300+ mile AER and ample cargo space, it also will be used for longer road trips.
Chevrolet created this typical city/urban drive experience to convey there is no mystique to owing an electric vehicle. The Equinox EV does everything a gasoline-powered car can do, but smoother, quieter and more economically.
One-pedal driving with regenerative braking did exactly what it was designed to do. When mastered (a very short learning curve) one-pedal driving lets the electric motors do the slowing and stopping, all the while returning energy to the battery to increase driving range. One of the best parts of driving an EV is slowing without pressing on the brake pedal, knowing you’re saving your brakes and adding range at once.
There are four driver-selectable drive modes: Normal (default), Sport, Snow/Ice and My Mode. Normal will get the best range, and Sport for enhanced responsiveness, Snow/Ice is self-explanatory, but My Mode is one that allows the driver to be creative to program ride customizations include steering, braking, acceleration feel, and motor sound. Yes, Chevrolet has programmed-in motor sounds as some people just can’t get used to driving a car with no engine noise.
Front- or All-Wheel Drive
Speaking with a Chevrolet engineer about the consideration of front or all-wheel drive, it was suggested those with wet, slick and snowy road conditions may opt for all-wheel drive, while front-wheel drive in drier parts of the country would suffice. Another consideration is the front-wheel drive Equinox EV has the longer range by an estimated 34 miles, which is a considerable amount as most people will drive less than that on a daily basis.
Exterior
It may carry an Equinox badge, but there is very little to connect the all-new Equinox EV with its gasoline-powered sibling. The wheelbase, length and width are all expanded on the EV, while the height is nearly the same. The curb weight has not been released, but the EV’s should be significantly more than the gasoline-powered Equinox due to the battery.
The Equinox EV has a rounded, smooth nose with an LED light strip running from fender to fender. The laid-back windshield continues to the roof with rails, ending in a spoiler on the hands-free lift gate. The 19-inch or 21-inch aluminum wheels both look good, filing the wheel-wells nicely.
Interior
Sliding into the driver’s seat may at first cause a perplexed look as there is no Start button. Just press the brake pedal and the 11-inch driver information and the 17-inch infotainment screens come to life with bright colors and cool graphics. There is a lot of screen before you, but everything on it is easy to understand and navigate.
The audio has FM/AM HD with SiriusXM and Google built-in, but no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. There is wireless phone charging and a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Seating is for five adults, with the flat rear floor giving 38-inches of leg room. The power front seats are heated and ventilated, with heated rear outboard seats on the 3LT and 3RS trims.
The available SuperCruise, demonstrated here, offers hands-free driving, including the ability to automatically change lanes.
Safety
The Equinox EV comes standard with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) through Chevrolet Safety Assist, including automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, lane keep assist and departure warning, rear park assist, reverse automatic braking, rear cross traffic braking, blind zone steering assist and forward collision alert. Additional safety technology includes adaptive cruise control, a HD Surround Vision camera, head-up display and a rear view camera mirror.
Pricing and Availability
The 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV is arriving at dealers now. We drove an RS launch model with a base price of $45,295. The entry-level 1LT starts at $34,995 and is projected to be in dealers later in 2024.
All prices include the mandatory destination charge, but not any federal or EV state tax incentives or credits. Check with your local Chevrolet dealer and your tax accountant to get a full understanding of what an Equinox EV will cost. More information can be found at www.Chevrolet.com.
Observations: 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV
The compact SUV Equinox EV slots just below the midsize Blazer EV, both of which represent the beginning of Chevrolet’s ever-expanding line-up of all-electric SUVs.
Scott Bell, vice president of Chevrolet summed it up as: “The Equinox EV is an EV for everyone that won’t change your daily routine—except that you will no longer have to stop at the gas station.”
It won’t be long before Chevrolet and the other General Motors brands of Buick, Cadillac and GMC are offering everything they make in an all-electric version.
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Story by John Faulkner. Photos by John Faulkner and Chevrolet.
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