On Thursday, Chevrolet officially unveiled the 2024 Equinox EV, the latest vehicle in the bow tie brand’s salvo of all-electric cars and trucks, which also includes the Blazer EV and Silverado EV. With a claimed starting price of around $30,000, the new Equinox EV emphasizes affordability in a major way, but a low, low price isn’t the only reason people will want one of these SUVs.
Simple and clean, the Equinox EV mostly resembles a conventionally powered vehicle, so it should have no trouble attracting customers that are already used to driving other compact SUVs. Nineteen-inch wheels are standard, but depending on trim, you can get 20s or even 21s. A hands-free power liftgate and two-tone paint jobs are on the menu, too.
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The 2024 Equinox EV is built on GM’s nearly ubiquitous Ultium platform, which should provide a solid foundation with good range and decent fast-charging capability. In its longest-legged form, the automaker expects this SUV to provide up to 300 miles of tailpipe emissions-free driving range.
Inside, this Chevy has room for five people and up to 57 cubic feet of maximum cargo space when the rear seat backrest is lowered. Available upscale amenities include heated seats and a heated steering wheel plus a massive 17.7-inch infotainment screen. Of course, there are plenty of standard safety features as well, amenities like lane-keeping assist, automatic high beams, rear parking sensors, reverse automatic braking and much more.
Undoubtedly, one of the new Equinox EV’s most important optional features is Super Cruise, GM’s hands-free driving aid that works on approved sections of highway. An industry-leading technology, it’s great to see the automaker popularize this groundbreaking technology by putting it in more-affordable products. Beyond that, a head-up display and an ever-useful rear camera mirror are offered in this SUV, too.
As for nuts-and-bolts details, this EV comes standard with front-wheel drive, which is good for a GM-estimated 210 horsepower and 242 pound-feet of torque. Naturally, all-wheel drive is available, which provides a good bit more oomph, specifically 290 horses and 346 pounds of twist.
The 2024 Chevy Equinox EV will be offered in five trim levels: 1LT, 2LT, 3LT, 2RS and 3RS. Range is estimated at 250 miles for the base model and 280 for models with all-wheel drive. An optional front-drive powertrain will provide an estimated 300 miles between charges.
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No matter the model, this vehicle will DC fast charge at up to 150 kilowatts, which is a decent speed, but not a great one. Still, that’s enough for the Equinox EV to absorb 70 miles of range in just 10 minutes. As for Level 2 charging, the vehicle supports this at up to 11.5 kW, which should add about 34 miles to the battery per hour. Beyond that, 19.2-kW Level 2 charging is available on the 3RS eAWD model, which is expected to get you 51 miles of range per hour.
Assembled in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV is expected to be the most-affordable EV in its segment when it goes on sale, which, unfortunately, won’t be soon. This vehicle isn’t scheduled to arrive at dealerships until the fall of 2023, about a year from now. Still, this puppy could be an absolute gamechanger if GM can deliver an attractive, well-equipped all-electric SUV for just $30,000.
