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On Thursday, General Motors unveiled a brand-new electric SUV that, when it goes on sale in about a year, the company anticipates will be the cheapest compact electric SUV on the market.The Chevrolet Equinox EV will be among the cheapest electric vehicles of any kind with a starting price of around $30,000.
According to Edmunds.com, the base price of the typical electric vehicle available today is approximately $47,500.Naturally, the Equinox EV would cost $30,000 for the most basic model with no extra features.GM is not currently eligible for any electric vehicle tax credits, and it is uncertain if any GM vehicles will be eligible under new rules either, so that price does not include tax credits.
Only the Nissan Leaf, which currently qualifies for a $7,500 federal tax credit and has a base price of $28,500, is cheaper among mass-market EVs for the 2022 model year.There are a few additional models priced between $30,000 and $40,000 as well.The Chevrolet Bolt EV and the SUV-like Bolt EUV are two of them.
The gasoline-powered small SUV that is Chevrolet's second-best-selling model after the Silverado pickup has very little in common with the Equinox EV, despite the fact that they share the same name.The Chevrolet Blazer EV SUV and Chevrolet Silverado EV pickup trucks, both of which were unveiled earlier this year, followed the same strategy.With gas models, they only share their names and basic dimensions and shapes.Along with Cadillac's Lyriq SUV and GM's GMC Hummer EV truck, all three are based on the same design and structure of electric vehicle battery packs.
When measured from the roof to the ground, the Equinox EV is slightly shorter and almost three inches wider than the gas-powered version.It lacks a front trunk, unlike some electric vehicles.Instead, electronics and the front electric motor are stored in the area under the hood.According to Scott Bell, GM (GM)'s vice president for Chevrolet, the designers and engineers at GM (GM) made the decision to spend vehicle development time and money on creating a better experience inside the cabin rather than attempting to create a space under the hood due to the cost and complexity involved.
Two-tone paint will be available on the Equinox EV, which has been a popular option for some time.Customers who opt for the sportier-looking RT models will be able to select a black roof and a body that is different from the rest of the vehicle, whereas those who opt for the standard LT models will be able to select a white roof that stands out.
The Blazer 1LT, which only has a 210-horsepower engine and will power the front wheels, will be the cheapest model.On a full charge, it will have a driving range of approximately 250 miles.There will also be Equinox EV 1LT SUVs with a longer range—up to 300 miles—and all-wheel drive—up to an estimated 280 miles—but those models are likely to be more expensive.Two electric motors can produce up to 290 horsepower in all-wheel-drive models.
The 2LT, which comes with better equipment, and the RS, which has a sportier appearance, will either have a range of 300 miles or all-wheel drive with up to 280 miles.The Equinox EV will only be available with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, unlike the Blazer EV, which costs more.Rear-wheel drive will not be an option.
