Chevrolet’s Equinox Goes Electric for 2024

• Chevrolet plans to electrify its compact SUV offering for 2024, with the new Equinox EV to start at $30,000.

• Range estimates start at 250-300 miles for FWD offerings and 280 miles for AWD versions, as power numbers range from 210-290 hp and 242-346 lb-ft of torque.

• With a reworked chassis and a modernized interior, the new Equinox EV has a host of new technology, like a 17.7-inch infotainment screen and enhanced driver assistance available on most trims.

After revealing an electric version of its most popular model, the Silverado, Chevrolet is predictably padding the most competitive segment: compact SUVs. Enter the Equinox EV, an Ultium-based version of the company's second-most-popular model. Chevrolet says the Equinox EV will be available for the 2024 model year and is set to be the company's most affordable Ultium-based offering so far, starting at $30,000.

Just like the new Blazer EV, all five trim levels (1LT, 2LT, 3L5, 2RS, and 3RS) will be powered by various Ultium platforms. Front-wheel drive will be standard on all trims, while all-wheel-drive is an option for the entire range. Standard configuration will put 210 hp and 242 lb-ft of torque through the front wheels, with AWD versions producing 290 hp and 346 lb-ft of torque. The low end of range starts at 250 miles for base FWD versions, while the AWD offerings are estimated to go 280 miles on a charge. GM's trim level breakdown also quotes 300 miles of range from upgraded FWD models, though it's not clear what battery capacity upgrades these models will have.

Charging rates will vary on the drivetrain and trim level, with a standard rate of 34 miles per hour through 11.5-kWh level 2 charging. DC fast charging is standard on all models and is estimated to charge at a rate of 70 miles in 10 minutes. An upgraded level 2 charging rate of 51 miles per hour is available on the 3RS AWD model. GM is also offering an eight-year or 100,000-mile warranty on the Equinox EV's batteries.

Beyond the new chassis and drivetrain, the Equinox EV has a fresh look for 2024, inside and out. As opposed to the previous generation's tall and boxy approach, the new Equinox appears sleek and squatted, following the sort of design language that blurs the lines between crossover and hatchback. And it's not just visual tricks that make the new model look that way. The Equinox EV is 1.9 inches lower, 2.8 inches wider and 7.4 inches longer than the ICE Equinox, with 9 inches added to the overall wheelbase. Standard at the corners are 19-inch wheels, while 20- or 21-inch wheels are equipped on 2RS and above models.

Inside the Equinox EV, you'll find a significant technology upgrade for drivers and passengers alike. Drivers now have an 11-inch screen display for driving instruments while an 11-inch central infotainment screen is standard on 1LT, 2LT, and 2RS models with an obscenely large 17.7-inch screen installed on 3LT and 3RS models. Other available features include the updated version of Super Cruise, heated windshield wipers, and a heads-up display. Automatic Emergency Braking, Following Distance Indicator, Forward Collision Alert, Front Pedestrian Braking, and Lane Keep Assist are all standard thanks to the Chevy Safety Assist package. Despite these modern amenities, cargo space has actually decreased significantly as a result of the new design, with the maximum cargo volume set at 57 cubic feet. That's a downgrade of 7 cubic feet from the previous generation.

Chevrolet hasn't detailed pricing yet, but representatives from the company did say that the starting range for the 1LT Equinox EV will be about $30,000. As EV production continues to be expensive for manufacturers, certain models like Ford's Mustang Mach-E have experienced price hikes due to significant material cost increases, though representatives for GM claim that the company will avoid price hikes like this.

"We're feeling very, very good that we're going to find a way to hang on to that price and keep that competitiveness, as we get into launching this late next year," said Chevrolet's Global Vice President Scott Bell. "We think that's absolutely critical to truly get the adoption and do the volume we need."

Pricing is one of the most limiting factors in EV adoption, Bell explained. And while the Bolt and Bolt EUV were well positioned in terms of price, the models haven't taken off the way that GM hoped. With these models soon to be gone and electric skateboards like the Ultium platforms increasingly becoming the dominant form of EV production, it's likely the Equinox EV will soon take the Bolt's market placement.

And while EV development is an expensive endeavor, electric skateboards seek to reduce EV production costs while allowing for multi-model use, from the Equinox to the Silverado and Brightdrop vans. As the release date gets closer, this lineup of EV Chevy SUVs and trucks could be the first to prove the technologies quality and cost balance, as long as the prices stay down.