Of the new crop of affordable electric vehicles that have emerged in the past year or so, the Chevrolet Equinox EV is among the most promising. With around 300 miles of range, Super Cruise and price tags well under $40,000 after tax incentives, the Equinox EV is a package that's hard to argue with. In fact, it's so compelling that it's the latest car to join the InsideEVs family.
Contributing Editor and State of Charge YouTube channel host Tom Moloughney just added an Equinox EV RS to his personal garage. That's right: it's not a press loaner, but a lease deal Tom picked up a few weeks ago. In his latest video, he gives a breakdown of the car and tells us what the first few experiences have been like.
Tom picked up a single-motor, front-wheel-drive Equinox EV RS, powered by an 85 kWh battery pack and good for 319 miles of range. Why an Equinox EV? Tom says he's always been partial to the model, having owned the gas version (which is completely unrelated mechanically to this one) for several years. The electric variant is a sleeker, more handsome car than the new gas Equinox, which really leaned more into the rugged SUV vibes this time around.
Tom says the Equinox EV is almost Porsche Macan-ish from some angles, which is high praise. It's pretty good on cargo space, although Tom's a little miffed at its lack of a frunk for a car on a dedicated EV platform.
It's not super quick in single-motor form, which tracks with my findings when I first drove one in Detroit earlier this year. But it's not designed for athleticism; it's designed for everyday practicality and family-hauling. I'm sure Tom will do his own fast-charging test soon (it's kinda his thing) but for now, he's wondering how the Equinox EV will perform with lower voltage than other options out there. The Equinox EV maxes out at 150kW, so if you get one, don't waste someone else's 350 kW fast-charging stall if you can avoid it.
Tom gives a brief rundown of the software system, which is a Google-powered setup with some impressive maps and customizable features. Perhaps infamously now, it does not include Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which he says will be an "adjustment." Then again, his Rivian doesn't have that either, so you can survive without it. (Yes, really.)
"Although it's only been a couple of weeks, I'm pretty happy with it so far," Tom said. But he's just getting started. This is a two-year lease deal and Tom says a lot more videos are coming about the Equinox EV, but he wants to know what you learn more about as well.
Drop Tom a line in the video comments or here to give him your thoughts.
Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com
