DETROIT — The $35,000 version of the Chevrolet Equinox EV will have a 400-kilometre driving range, about the same as the cheaper Bolt EV it will effectively replace. Higher-priced trims will offer up to 480 kilometres of range, Super Cruise hands-free driving technology and a 17.7-inch touch screen.
Chevy will continue to offer the gasoline-powered Equinox, long one of Chevy's bestsellers, after the electric version arrives in 2023. The base model won't be available right away, though. Chevy will begin selling a midlevel version next fall before adding the $35,000 LT1 and four other trims — 2LT, 2RS, 3LT, 3RS — later in the same model year.
"We are at the turning point where EVs will be the mainstream choice for the next generation of customers, and Equinox EV will lead this charge for us," General Motors CEO Mary Barra, who showed the vehicle during an appearance early Thursday on "CBS Mornings," said in a statement.
The 2024 Equinox EV will be GM's most affordable option powered by the Ultium battery technology that also underpins the GMC Hummer, Cadillac Lyriq and upcoming Chevy Silverado EV. The Bolt EV, which uses previous-generation batteries and has a 417-kilometre range, currently starts at $38,198 before shipping.
The Equinox EV's $35,000 starting price is without shipping. The Equinox EV will be assembled at Ramos Arizpe Assembly, one of two plants in Mexico where GM also builds the gasoline-powered Equinox.
The base Equinox 1LT EV comes with front-wheel drive, an 11-inch touch screen, power-adjustable driver seats, heated front seats and a single 210-hp electric motor rated at 242 pound-feet of torque. Upgrading to a version with electric all-wheel drive adds a second motor, for a total of 290 hp and 346 pound-feet of torque.
All versions above the base model will have an estimated 480 kilometres of range with fwd and 450 kilometres with awd, Chevy said, as well as a front LED light bar. Chevy didn't release pricing for trims above the base 1LT model.
Chevy engineers estimate that, when plugged into a DC fast charger, the Equinox EV battery pack can regain as much as 112 kilometres of range in 10 minutes. The battery pack has a warranty good for 8 years/160,000 kilometres.
Standard safety features include automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning and automatic high beams.
In addition to awd and the longer-range battery, the options list includes Super Cruise, adaptive cruise control and a head-up display.
The vehicle's maximum cargo capacity with the rear seats folded down is 57 cubic feet, slightly less than the 63.9 cubic feet that Chevy says the current Equinox can fit.
Greg Layson of Automotive News Canada contributed to this report.
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