How This Budget EV Offers Impressive Range Without Breaking The Bank
For entry-level consumers, the promise of affordable electric vehicles has long felt out of reach. While automakers flood the market with high-priced EVs packed with cutting-edge tech, buyers searching for a budget-friendly option have faced a different reality: limited choices, underwhelming range, and slow charging speeds. Despite federal incentives and falling battery costs, the gap between aspiration and accessibility remains wide.
But, one vehicle, which made its way to salesroom floors in 2024, blends a more affordable price, decent battery range, and ample interior space into a handsome, futuristic mold.
Is The Chevy Equinox EV Affordable? Overhyped? Underrated?
Considering the 2024 Chevy Equinox EV has been shrouded in controversy and price hikes, what's the deal with it anyway? It boasts 285 to 319 miles of range per charge, depending on trim, and starts at $41,900. Is it worth it?
Chevy's Affordable EV Solution - The Equinox EV
2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV in riptide blue
The Equinox EV has the cheapest MSRP of any American-sold EV and has a battery range of over 300 miles. The price and range are particularly impressive feats, but the SUV continues to impress with several other key metrics.
The SUV Starts At Just $33,600
Chevrolet
According to Chevy, the Equinox EV LT has a starting price of just $33,600. Other fully electric vehicles with at least 300 miles of range — like the Tesla Model 3 Long Range, the 84.0-kWh-pack Hyundai Ioniq 5, and the long-range Kia EV6 — all come with starting MSRPs over $42,000. Even the sportier Equinox EV RS starts at just $43,400.
Like most other electric vehicles, the most prudent option might be to avoid an electric vehicle's quick depreciation and lease the Equinox EV. Chevy's leasing options won't disappoint penny-pinching shoppers. The American automaker offers two-year leases starting from $300 a month after just over $3,000 on a down payment.
GM Replaced A Popular Entry-Level EV
Chevrolet
The Equinox EV takes over as the brand's cheapest electric car after the company discontinued the wildly popular Bolt and Bolt EUV. Chevy first released the Bolt, a subcompact electric car with around 250 miles of estimated range, in 2016. After years of sputtering sales, the company decided to move on from the diminutive five-seater.
But the car saw a massive spike in sales in 2023 after GM's CEO, Mary Barra, announced the little EV would go the way of the dodo on an earnings call. The company extended the Bolt's production dates for a few months before sunsetting the EV's production due to aging battery technology. Chevy expects to bring the Bolt back by the end of 2025. Executives have remained bullish on the Bolt's return, saying it will reclaim the Equinox EV's mantle as the brand's cheapest EV.
Most Affordable EV To Offer All Wheel Drive Setup In 2024
Most Affordable EV With All-Wheel-Drive Setup In 2024
Turning an EV into an AWD model is simple but expensive, but this compact crossover bucks the trend as the least expensive AWD EV on the market.
319 Miles Of Range On A Full Charge
2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV Front Three Quarter 2 TopSpeed
Powering the Equinox EV is an impressive battery that packs a moderately sporty punch. Front-wheel-drive powertrain Equinox EVs generate 220 horsepower, while the all-wheel-drive has a combined output of 288 horsepower. Both are good for sub-eight-second zero-to-60 mph speeds.
The Equinox EV is not the most athletic EV on the road. However, it makes up for mild-mannered driving dynamics with a uniquely efficient battery pack.
Chevrolet Equinox EV Performance Specifications
| FWD | AWD | |
| Powertrain | Single Permanent-Magnet Motor | Front Permanent-Magnet And Rear Induction Motor |
| Transmission | Single-Speec Automatic | Single-Speec Automatic |
| Horsepower | 213 HP | 288 HP |
| Torque | 236 LB-FT | 346 LB-FT |
| Driveline | Front-Wheel Drive | All-Wheel Drive |
| Battery | 85 kWh | 85 kWh |
| Range | 319 Miles | 285 Miles |
| Fast Charging Time | 34 Minutes | 34 Minutes |
| Energy Consumption | 31 kWh/100 Miles | 36 kWh/100 Miles |
| 0-60 MPH | 7.7 Seconds | 5.8 Seconds |
| Top Speed | 112 MPH | 112 MPH |
| Towing Capacity | 1,500 Pounds | 1,500 Pounds |
The Equinox EV's impressive EPA Range Estimates
Chevrolet
The front-wheel-drive version boasts an EPA-estimated 319 miles on a full charge, putting it ahead of rivals like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ford Mustang Mach-E. Even the all-wheel-drive variant, which drops to 285 miles, offers more range than many similarly priced competitors. For a vehicle targeting mass-market buyers, these figures help eliminate one of the biggest concerns about switching to an EV: how far it can go on a single charge. If you care about the efficiency figures, the 2025 Equinox EV consumes 31 kWh of power for every 100 miles you drive. This means you get an economy of 117 MPGe in the city, 100 MPGe on the highway, and 109 MPGe combined.
Unlike some automakers that push range estimates under ideal conditions, Chevrolet’s numbers reflect real-world usability, according to multiple testing sites. The Equinox EV's battery is engineered to balance efficiency with practicality, using features like one-pedal driving and pre-conditioning. That means fewer stops at public chargers and more confidence on long drives — something that has been sorely missing in the lower-priced EV segment.
The Range Rivals Cars With Double the Price Tag
Lucid
Most other EVs with a huge range also come with luxury price tags. Take, for example, the lineup of BMW EVs. The i4 and the iX have model variants that also produce over 300 miles of EPA estimated range. However, the price tag skyrockets for the high-class battery cars anywhere from $55,000 to $112,000. The most efficient battery electric vehicle on the market, the Lucid Air, starts at $69,900.
2024 Chevrolet Equinox Red Tested Badge
2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV Review
An affordable price point, competitive range and a familiar name should allow the Equinox EV to be a hit with the North-American middle class.
A Practical Interior Works With Everyday Drivers
2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV Interior TopSpeed
Chevrolet designed the Equinox EV’s cabin with usability in mind, favoring clean lines and intuitive controls. The dashboard is anchored by a large digital display, but physical buttons line underneath the screen for key functions like climate control — an increasingly rare but welcome feature.
Tech-Focused Dash Blends Digital and Physical Buttons
Dozens of EVs are launching with climate and audio controls hidden in digital screens on the infotainment system - I'm looking at you, Volkswagen ID.4, and Tesla. But the Equinox has a standard volume knob for audio, a turn-able buttons for climate controls, and a slate of hard-touch switches for windows and seat adjustments.
Behind the old-school buttons is a slate of impressive tech. Top-end models of the Equinox EV come with GM's Super Cruise hands-free driving system.
There is a Ton of Storage, Too
Chevrolet
Space is another strong point for the Equinox EV. With a flat floor and a wide center console, the SUV maximizes interior room for passengers and cargo alike. The trunk features 26.4 cubic feet of storage with seat up. After flipping down the seats, Chevy reports a robust 57.2 cubic feet.
Rear-seat legroom is also generous. Chevrolet has also packed in plenty of small-item storage, including deep door pockets and a configurable center console, making the Equinox EV a seamless fit for daily errands, road trips, and everything in between.
Rear 3/4 view of the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 3LT
This Is The Most Efficient Electric GM Vehicle On The Ultium EV Platform
If you want the most efficient Ultium-based EV from General Motors, it also happens to be one of the most affordable EVs of 2024.
There Are Other Options - But The Equinox EV Holds Its Ground
2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Front 3/4
The affordable EV segment is becoming a bit more competitive, with competitors like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Tesla Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach-e, Volkswagen ID.4, Honda Prologue, and Tesla Model 3 offering competitive price, range, and tech. But the Chevrolet Equinox EV carves out a compelling niche with its mix of practicality, impressive range, and a price tag that undercuts all three rivals. While the Model Y offers more performance and the Ioniq 5 brings a retro-futuristic design, neither delivers the same balance of affordability and everyday usability.
Chevy Equinox EV vs. Competition
| Equinox EV FWD (FWD models, 19-inch wheels) | Ioniq 5 (Long range RWD models, 19-inch wheels) | EV6 (Long range RWD models, 19-inch wheels) | Tesla Model Y (Long Range RWD, 19-inch wheels) | Ford Mustang Mach-E (RWD Extended Range) | |
| Drivetrain | Single motor, FWD | Single motor, RWD | Single motor, RWD | Single motor, RWD | Single motor, RWD |
| Horsepower | 213 hp | 225 hp | 225 hp | 295 hp | 266 hp |
| Torque | 236 lb-ft | 258 lb-ft | 258 lb-ft | 310 lb-ft | 317 lb-ft |
| EPA-estimated Efficiency | 109 MPGe | 114 MPGe | TBA | 137 MPGe | 106 MPGe |
| Battery size | 85 kWh | 84 kWh | 84 kWh | 81 kWh | 91 kWh |
| EPA-estimated range | 319 miles | 318 miles | 319 miles | 337 miles | 320 miles |
Inside Hyundai's Low-Cost EV Bids
Hyundai's Ioniq series of EVs — both the Ioniq 5 crossover SUV and the Ioniq 6 sedan — offer similar value with sub $45,000 MSRPs and trims that go above the 300-mile EPA estimated ranges. But Hyundai's series has quirky futuristic looks that may not be every entry-level buyer's first choice.
Tesla Also Has Some Value-Based Market Entrants
Tesla
Tesla's lineup of vehicles also offers distinct value in the EV market. Also, all Tesla vehicles carry the added benefit of access to the company's Supercharger network, the largest fleet of fast-charging stations in the country. Tesla's Model 3 is the cheapest entry-level vehicle in the brand with a starting MSRP of $42,490. The Model Y, a crossover SUV with slightly more storage space in the trunk, starts at $44,990.
