Tesla makes a great EV. But so does General Motors.
For those not steeped in the recent history of electric vehicles, General Motors made a mass-produced EV long before Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning founded Tesla. And long before Elon Musk joined the company. That groundbreaking GM electric was the EV1, first produced in 1996. And back in 2010, GM launched another remarkable EV (a plug-in hybrid) the Chevy Volt – at about the same time Tesla launched its first mass-market EV, the Model S. The much-less-expensive Volt was a perfect fit for early EV adopters (like me). Relatively few public charging stations existed at that time. A gas-powered generator could take you long distances when you ran out of battery.
The sub-$27,000 EV
The Equinox EV is a product of that legacy. While it doesn’t come with the leading-edge autonomy of a Tesla, it has an entry point below $30,000. Case in point: some Chevy dealers in Los Angeles are now selling the Equinox EV LT for an MSRP of under $35,000. But wait. Subtract the $7,500 federal EV tax credit and you’re below $28,000 (before taxes and fees). And this is not the stripped-down Chevy Bolt LT of old. This entry-level Equinox EV comes with adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, 319 miles of range, and a navigation system. In short, it’s not a Tesla but has everything a first-time EV buyer would need.
Test Drive – the self-driving Equinox
I am test driving the Equinox EV for a week right now. I have the (loaded) All-Wheel-Drive RS version with Super Cruise, GM’s Advanced Driver Assist System, aka ADAS. Super Cruise will essentially drive the car for you on highways – that includes acceleration, braking, and steering as well as passing slower cars and changing lanes. No, it doesn’t have the AI smarts of Tesla Full Self Driving but it handles the most tedious driving tasks with aplomb. (At the bottom I’ve included a brief video review of Super Cruise.)
The Equinox is also one of lowest entry points for a feature-rich EV with an ADAS. But, alas, it does not beat Tesla on price. Tesla throws in Autopilot – similar to Super Cruise – for free. You can grab an AWD Tesla Model Y for around $44,000 and subtract the tax credit to get it well below $40K. The fully-loaded Equinox EV I have is about $54,000, which is also eligible for the tax credit, bringing it down to $46,500.
Upshot: popular and solid feature set
But I digress. The vast majority of Equinox buyers will opt for much lower-priced models (sans Super Cruise) and they will get a great EV with 319 miles of EPA-rated range. Chevy sold more than 18,000 Equinox EVs in the fourth quarter of last year, making it one of the most popular EVs in the U.S. Highlights include:
- Charging: Standard DC fast charging up to 150 kW – can potentially add ~70 miles in about 10 minutes. Level 2 (AC) charging at up to 11.5 kW for home use.
- Large 17.7″ infotainment display (standard on most trims).
- Built-in Google apps: (Maps, Assistant, Play). SiriusXM also available.
- Compact SUV size with sleek exterior. (This is a notable positive as EVs keep getting bigger and heavier, which is a drain on battery life).
- Spacious for a compact SUV it has ample cargo space.
- Built on GM’s Ultium battery platform, shared with other GM EVs like the Blazer EV, Cadillac Lyriq, and Silverado EV as well as the Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX.
- Over-the-air updates and advanced driver assistance features (e.g., Super Cruise available on higher trims).