Chevy’s big news at CES was the Silverado EV, the bow tie’s big shot at going up against the Lightning and Rivian. Many of the Jalopnik crew were excited to see it — after all, electric offerings in the full-size pickup space are pretty cool by default. I, however, was nonplussed; to me, the Silverado just looks like a rebadged low-trim Hummer EV. No, my interest in Chevy’s CES presentation laid somewhere far more modest: the upcoming Equinox EV.
Since Chevy only teased the EVquinox (original name, do not steal), there isn’t much information yet with which to work. What we do know, however, is impressive: Built on the Ultium platform, it’s coming late next year, and starts at $30,000.
That price point would undercut every EV GM currently makes. Even the Bolt, cheapest of the bunch, starts a thousand dollars higher — and another $2,500 on top of that for the much-desired crossover ride height of the Bolt EUV. The ‘EVquinox’ could fill the somehow-still-vacant void in the market for a cheap, compact electrified crossover.
Chevy hasn’t announced any driveline details for the ‘EVquinox,’ other than that it’s on the Ultium platform. However, that little detail can actually give us some information. Of the motors GM has unveiled for that system, there’s a 241-horsepower option that’s designed to power the front wheels — a nice upgrade from the current 170 HP base engine in the gas-power Equinox.
The Silverado is neat, but the Equinox EV stands to be a real volume seller for Chevy. A reasonably-sized family crossover, exempt from the trend of ever-increasing new car prices, that will never need a drop of fuel — what’s not to like?