General Motors is introducing a new mid-sized electric crossover in the US that’ll undercut the likes of the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia Niro.
The 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV range will open at around US$30,000 before on-road costs (A$44,404), or approximately US$4000 less than a Kona Electric and $1500 less than Chevrolet’s own Bolt.
It’ll go on sale in the northern autumn next year, initially available only in limited edition 2RS guise.
Equinox EV 1LT
Front-wheel drive models feature a single electric motor with 156kW of power and 328Nm of torque, while dual-motor all-wheel drive models produce 216kW and 469Nm.
A one-pedal driving feature is standard, while the Equinox EV can be charged at up to 11.5kW on AC power and up to 150kW using a DC fast-charger.
Flagship 3RS eAWD models feature 19.2kW AC charging.
All-wheel drive models have 450km of range, while most front-wheel drive models have 483km of range.
Chevrolet has yet to release dimensions for the Equinox EV, but given it shares its name with a mid-sized Toyota RAV4 rival, we’d expect to see it have a similar footprint.
Inside, the base 1LT features an 11-inch touchscreen infotainment system and an 11-inch digital instrument cluster. It also comes standard with active blind-spot and rear cross-traffic assist, along with autonomous emergency braking (forward and reverse) and lane-keep assist.
The mid-range 2LT and its sportier-looking 2RS counterpart add niceties like heated front seats, and can be had with GM’s Super Cruise Level 2 autonomous driving technology and a 17.7-inch touchscreen.
GM says Super Cruise supports hands-free driving on more than 643,000km of compatible roads across the U.S. and Canada.
3RS
The 3LT and 3RS duo round out the range, featuring the larger screen as standard, along with a surround-view camera and luxuries like ventilated front seats.
The Equinox EV is one of GM’s most important EV products, and its more conventional crossover body and lower price than the existing Bolt could see it enjoy more mainstream appeal.
The unrelated petrol-powered Equinox is Chevrolet’s second best-selling model behind the Silverado pickup, and was one of the top 20 best-selling vehicles in the US last year.
The ICE Equinox, previously sold here as the Holden Equinox, is expected to continue to be sold alongside the new EV.
3LT
“We are at a turning point where EVs will be the mainstream choice for the next generation of customers and Equinox EV will lead this charge for us,” said GM CEO Mary Barra.
“With the flexibility of GM’s Ultium Platform, we are bringing to market vehicles at nearly every price point and for every purpose.”
General Motors is launching a slew of dedicated electric vehicles across its Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC brands, having started with the Ultium-based GMC Hummer EV and Cadillac Lyriq.
The Chevrolet brand has been focusing on high-volume segments for its first new-generation EVs, with the Tesla Model Y-rivalling Blazer EV and the full-sized Silverado EV pickup launching next year as well.
Its CEO, Mary Barra, has doubled down on remarks she made last year, telling The Associated Press that her company will beat Tesla in US electric vehicle sales by the middle of the decade.
It sold only 25,000 electric vehicles last year in the US against 352,000 Tesla vehicles, however that figure consisted almost entirely of a single model: the Chevrolet Bolt.
GM’s local operation, GM Specialty Vehicles, has yet to announce any EVs for the local market. It’s instead focusing on V8-powered vehicles like the factory right-hand drive C8 Corvette and the locally remanufactured Silverado pickup truck.
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