After driving hundreds of new cars over the years, I’m convinced that the most expensive car in the world usually isn’t the best car, just like the cheapest car isn’t necessarily the worst. It’s all relative. I finally got to try out the poverty-spec, bare bones, 1LT Chevy Equinox EV to see what you lose by going with the cheapest trim. The answer? Nothing important. For under $35,000 new and, more importantly, under $28,000 after a tax credit, the cheapest electric car you can get that goes over 315 miles on a charge is pretty darn good.
Even more impressively, I took one to a Tesla Supercharger and managed to top it off quickly and with ease, therefore negating one of the big qualms people have with buying a non-Tesla vehicle. The Equinox EV in its most limited form is an attractive, functional, and completely usable vehicle. Is it the best electric car? Of course not. But if the magic number for range is “300 miles,” and you think you need a crossover, it’s another capable vehicle from General Motors that doesn’t feel built to a price.
Between this and the Chevy Trax, Chevy now offers two entry-level choices for buyers who want something new and don’t want to feel like they’re being punished for buying a car that isn’t $50,000.
The Basics
Price: Starts at $33,600 (Tested 1LT trim $34,995 with $1,395 destination charge)
Powertrain: FWD single-motor 213 hp, 236 lb-ft of torque
Battery Size: 85 kWh lithium-ion
Range: 319 miles (EPA)
Body Style: Five-door crossover.
Why Does It Exist?
While I don’t think anyone, including GM, wishes that Chevrolet ever ended production of the Bolt, it was clear that the company wouldn’t be able to compete without something more Model Y-sized and crossover-like. The Equinox EV was the simplest answer, as the gas-powered Equinox is a popular vehicle. When product planning for the Equinox EV began, the Model Y was something like $59,000 new. GM targeted a starting price of under $35,000 for its cheapest version, a 1LT trim capable of going more than 300 miles on a single charge.
Teslas have gotten cheaper in the time in between the Equinox EV being envisioned and someone handing me the keys, but they’ve never been as cheap as an Equinox EV. For all the heat that GM has taken over the years as an organization, it’s remarkable that the company has hit its goal of building a sub-$30k (after tax credits) car with 300 miles of range.
How Does It Look?
Aerodynamics are usually the key determining factor when trying to make an electric car go far on a reasonably sized battery, which is one reason why the first long-range electric cars were slippery fastback sedans. Carmakers who want to extend the range of their gas-powered cars can spend a few cents expanding a plastic gas tank, but electric carmakers lack that luxury. Batteries are expensive.
The Equinox EV may be a “crossover” in that it’s slightly tall and has a rear cargo door, but it’s essentially a tall hatchback. This is the most basic of trims, so you can upgrade to a white-roof, but it’ll cost you. I love that this is a zero-option car and the Riptide Blue Metallic color looks good so I don’t think it’s worth the money unless you really want two-tone. The standard 19-inch wheels are also attractive and come wrapped in thick 245/55R19 tires that’ll help keep you from scuffing the wheels.
When it debuted, the Model Y carried forward the Tesla’s look in a slightly taller form. It was attractive and somewhat futuristic. Now it just looks old, even with the refresh. I think the Equinox EV looks better and I like the thick plastic cladding, which is likely to resist dings and bumps.
How About The Inside?
In a few key ways, the 1LT Equinox EV reminds me of our beloved Pontiac Aztek. This isn’t a knock. The seats on the Aztek are super comfortable and recliner-like and the seats here are equally as Milford-cushy. The plastics aren’t too hard, nothing feels half-assed, and everything works. It’s simple, but simple isn’t bad.
Also, this is the “Poverty-spec” version, and it comes with a 17.7-inch infotainment screen and 11-inch digital gauge, both of which look as good as anything else in any class anywhere close to the price. It has a starter-button, remote-start, Google Assistant built-in, and a bunch of safety features including forward collision alert, rear cross traffic braking, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, and a bunch of stuff that used to be optional but is now becoming standard.
It’s not perfect. Instead of a frunk you get this^, but the rear storage is decent and there’s even a little storage cubby underneath the rear cargo area.
There’s only about 57-cubic feet of volume with the seats down in the Equinox EV, which isn’t as good as the Model Y with the frunk included, but it’s also a more typical car shape. Sam did a thorough review of a higher trim model and gets into this in more detail.
How’s It Drive?
People love to talk about how electric cars have instantaneous torque and are blisteringly fast. For most Teslas, this is an experience you can expect. Not with the front-wheel-drive Equinox. It is, as the British like to say, sufficient. Though in this case I mean it. It gets to 60 mph fast enough to merge into traffic, but not fast enough to impress your passengers. What’s that mean? High nines.
There’s a steering wheel attached to the tires and most of the time you can tell this is the case, with decent feedback. As for ride, the Equinox EV is quite Aztek-like in how it absorbs bumps and, thanks to a lower center of gravity, very un-Aztek-like in how it handles turns, which is to say with minimal body roll. Since this is an EV, it weighs almost 5,000 pounds once you start adding humans to the interior. Again, this is basic transportation, so it doesn’t bother me that it’s not fast.
If you’re an EV driver like me, the best thing about the way the Equinox EV drives is that it has honest-to-goodness one-pedal driving. In “normal” mode the Chevy will go from 40 mph to zero faster than you can say “I swear he wasn’t like this when I bought it.” If you turn on the “high” mode you’ll barely be able to say “I swea..” This is awesome if you’re me. For passengers who were unaware, they found the vertebrae-snapping deceleration a little less comfortable and more disorienting.
The regenerative braking definitely helps make the car even more efficient and, in driving it around town, I had a hard time taking enough charge off the battery to make a video where I used a fast-charger.
How Annoying Is The Lack Of CarPlay?
Yeah, sorry. I tried. I really tried to go a week without using CarPlay and instead using the system that GM developed. I didn’t like it. The GM system, which uses Google Assistant, looks good and works fairly well at your usual tasks of switching between songs and using navigation. However, basic tasks like text messaging barely worked. Instead, you have to hope your phone buzzes loudly and then ask Siri to read you a message (there’s supposed to be a ping, but I never got it to ping).
It was distracting and, as you can see in the video from Jill Ciminillo above, simple things like choosing a podcast are just unnecessarily difficult. GM says it doesn’t want to hand over control to Apple, but it’s still handing it over to Google. This isn’t a dealbreaker, since it has a nice Google Maps integration, but it seems like an own-goal situation.
Will It Tesla Supercharge?
Hell yeah it’ll Tesla Supercharge. In fact, when I got to the Tesla Supercharger station I saw another Equinox EV and a Honda Prologue, which is also built by GM and has the same basic battery and chassis design. It was entertaining to watch a Tesla owner wait for a spot while one of two Rivians and a BZ4X charged up. I even approached one Model Y owner to see if he was bothered by this. He wasn’t. In fact, he and his buddies were excited to see all the new EVs on the road.
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I was able to use the MyChevrolet app, which also acts like a key, to book the charger I wanted. All I had to do was attach the NACS adapter to the Tesla charger, plug it in, and walk away. Since this station was at a Wegman’s, I went and got some Cheerios. In about 30 minutes, the battery in the Equinox went from 48% charge to 82% charge.
Three Things To Know About The 2025 Chevy Equinox EV 1LT:
- It is a modern electric car that does modern electric car things.
- You’ll still probably want to lease it as the lease deals are good right now.
- As with many hybrids and EVs, it’s a little slow to warm the cabin on cold days, but you can use the MyChevrolet app to pre-heat the car.
Does It Fulfill Its Purpose?
Indeed. It’s cheap, but it doesn’t make you feel cheap for buying (or leasing) it. This is a sub-$35k car, delivered, that has range that matches the competition at an untouchable price.
What’s The Punctum Of The Equinox EV 1LT?
That image above is so beautiful. The zero-option press car. A price that meets the target after the destination charge. Obviously, if you qualify for the $7,500 tax credit (and it still exists) then you’re talking about something that’s under $30,000.
A Model Y is an interesting point of comparison because it’s basically a luxury car, and therefore a more expensive one. I found a comparable Model Y in Tesla’s inventory, which is a demo model with a big price adjustment and a shorter range. Guess what? It’s still more expensive. And that’s a demo model! The cheapest Mustang Mach-E only has 250 miles of range and costs more before incentives. Hyundai has an Ioniq 6 with 342 miles of range if you want a lot of distance for not that much money, but that’s still $45,000 before incentives.
If you’re going to buy an EV and don’t want to spend that much money, you can’t go wrong with the cheapest Equinox you can find.
Every one who knows me knows I love to point out how wrong the great writers here are, probably a ego thing, so I was so ready here. Sorry this article is spot on well written especially EVs don’t need everything electric. Now I would never spend 35k on a car but for those less cheap than me this is the EV for you
As an Apple user, I hate the lack of CarPlay, especially since they still use Google. But this really is the most reasonable EV out there.
I’m firmly in camp Apple, but CarPlay is take it or leave it for me. My Volvo has the Google based system and it works great. My wife liked it so much she sought out a new EV with the Google assistant and ended with with a ZDX. We both have CarPlay that we never touch despite being longtime iPhone users. Now a rental car is another story, CarPlay all day in that situation.
“ However, basic tasks like text messaging barely worked. Instead, you have to hope your phone buzzes loudly and then ask Siri to read you a message.”
That’s not a bug to me. I’d have offered an option of no text to talk at all as a safety feature.
So, this sounds like a good way to break people of the habit while driving, or learning to drive. Let your teen borrow this vehicle, and maybe the level of annoyance will help them realize how dumb texting while driving is.
Android Auto or Car Play puts your music and podcast apps on screen, so you can change songs without looking down or even by using a voice assistant. The alternative is a kid driving while balancing their phone on their lap to find new songs.
I don’t use my iPhone when I drive, so I don’t know. I have a USB stick with 10k+ songs on it. For GPS, I ask my passenger navigate on their phone. If its just me, I will use my car’s built in GPS, with no audio instructions.
Doesn’t Apple have a feature that you can turn on that when it connects to the car it puts it in Do Not Disturb mode?
I don’t use my iPhone when I drive, so I don’t know. I have a USB stick with 10k+ songs on it. I plug the phone in to charge.
I’ve had my sights set on a Equinox EV 1LT to replace our Volt LT, but we’ll have to wait and see what the next year will bring. May need to borrow a horse & buggy from our Amish neighbors 🙂
As a bonus, driving an Equinox instead of a Model Y means you won’t be identified as a Nazi. Never discount the non-Nazi effect!
Unless Mary Barra is a Nazi… Or is there something magical about Teslas that makes owners adopt the political views of the CEO?
When you contribute to the finances of a Nazi. Yes, you’re a Nazi too.
What if you contribute to the finances of all sorts of people of differing political ideologies, like pretty much everyone does? For example, if you buy things made in China, does that make you a Communist?
Only if you buy an Apple product…
I’d love a list of (at least 25%) morally “responsible” companies that you utilize every day.
I’m sure none of them have any connection to a political movement that got bombed to shit 90 years ago. Rather, that list is probably 90% full of folks who are bombing the shit out of people every Tuesday.
I don’t mean to bother you Sir, but your high horse is waiting…
Good ol’ Whataboutism. The last line of defense for the indefensible.
There’s something off-putting about continuing to line the pockets of Elon Musk, considering all we now know and what he’s currently up to. Maybe if he wasn’t throwing out nazi salutes, but that ship already sailed.
You are lining the job security of Americans! Jeez. If it’s not your neighbor, it’s your cousins
When does it end?
The saying in Germany is “if one Nazi is sitting at a table with 10 people, there are 11 Nazis at the table”
Some stinks don’t wash off, and Nazism is one of them. If you don’t see a problem with Musk’s Nazism, don’t get offended when other people scrunch up their noses around you.
I personally find Elon Musk repugnant. I am not, however, willing to judge anyone’s character based on what sort of car they own.
Anyone that buys a Tesla today is one of the 10 people sitting at the table with the Nazi. They aren’t going to get a pass from decent folks.
If you are literally sitting down to dinner with Elon Musk, you might very well be a Nazi. If you buy a car made by Tesla, some of the profit goes to Elon Musk, and that’s bad, but most of the profit goes to paying the wages of all the people involved in producing the cars. A big chunk of those people are our fellow Americans. Also, if anyone who financially supports Nazis is a Nazi, then all of us who pay taxes to the American government are Nazis. Seems highly unlikely to me.
It sounds like your thinking is too literal to understand the meaning of the proverb, so let me explain it in literal terms. It isn’t talking about literally having dinner with Nazis. It is saying that Nazism is so extreme that when you know someone is a Nazi and you still choose to have any association with them, you are also a Nazi in the eyes of others. When you know someone is a Nazi it is your moral duty to shun them. No exceptions, no explanations, and no whataboutism.
I have no problem with shunning Nazis, but I think you had better know much more about a person than what sort of car they drive before you accuse them of being a Nazi. We toss that word around casually these days, but there’s nothing casual about Nazism.
Why in the world didn’t Chevy put the charging port in a place that is compatible with the full Tesla Supercharger network? It is the best and most reliable network. How hard would it have been to put the port on the driver’s rear, passenger’s front, or the front like the Leaf?!? I’ve owned both Teslas and Chevy EVs. I’ve been very happy with both. GM is usually under promise and over deliver with regards to range and they are both very efficient. I would have no qualms about buying an GM EV… if they would only get the charging port location right. The Silverado EV did it, why not the rest of their lineup?
I’m sure this was far too deep in development to change by the time they joined that network. The next version will move the charge port.
Tesla is putting longer cords on their network, so it’ll be a non-issue soon enough.
I don’t see Tesla updating V2 charging stations any time soon, particularly considering how Musk appears busy destroying the company and it’s finances. I hope Tesla does update the old V2 charges with cords that can reach more cars. Tesla still has by far the lowest install cost for DC fast charging infrastructure so hopefully at least that part of the company will survive.
Like electric door handles…
“ However, basic tasks like text messaging barely worked. Instead, you have to hope your phone buzzes loudly and then ask Siri to read you a message.”
Good – Because when you’re behind the wheel, you’re supposed to be DRIVING, not TEXTING.
The reality is that people will just be looking at their phone. That was the whole point of CarPlay.
This isn’t about driver distraction or safety. It’s about GM trying to soak their customers for subscription to still fumble with Spotify, just using their OnStar data plan, not the plan you’re carrying into the car in your cell phone.
I currently own an 18 Equinox, and I will not buy another car that doesn’t support Android Auto, epecially with my kids only being a few years away from driving.
People are not going to stop texting and driving. They’re NOT. I know that it’s awful and stupid but it’s true. CarPlay (and I assume Android Auto) make the entire process audio, so you never have to look at the screen or take your hands of the wheel. It’s safer than using a volume knob.
Had the ICE one as a rental recently. Does this have an actual sun visor? Mine was sized for a chop-top hotrod and I had to put the seat all the way up (I’m 5’11”) to only have half of the sun shining under it in the morning. The one in my GR86 must be at least half a size bigger for much less space to span (and is marginal in size itself).
This is a 100% different vehicle than the ICE Equinox.
Does it have its own sun visor?
It does and it works perfectly in my opinion.
It probably seems like a dumb or petty question, but I can’t recall being in a car with a more useless visor (even with horizontal extension capability!) and it didn’t help that my commute had me in the path of a low rising sun where several highways intersect and people do even dumber things than normal.
I actually hated the sun visor in my previous vehicle (Ford F-150). It was in such a placement that you couldn’t fold it “forward” for lack of a better explanation, to get only a partial angle. You had to do it “backwards” where it is almost hitting you in the forehead.
That’s dumb in the opposite way—obviously large enough, but not designed to reduce it when you don’t need it.
hahahaha….YES. I just love it when GM succeeds and the Toyotists seethe. But seriously, really compelling product. I wasn’t super impressed with the Blazer EV, this seems like a much better use of the platform. Now they just need to dig up their PHEV documentation from the archives and make a new Voltec platform.
It is deeply weird to have that level of loyalty to a corporation.
I know this is an old reply, but I didn’t catch it at the time. I’m not. Though its true, I am a bit of a GM fan (my entire existence is partially thanks to the General, my great grandfather worked with Kettering and stayed at the company his whole life), I’m not a brand loyalist. I’ve owned 2 Toyotas (91 Pickup, 91 Land Cruiser) 6 GM products, 3 Fords, and 2 Suzukis and a Jeep. I currently own 2 Fords, 2 Chevrolets, 1 Suzuki and 1 Jeep. I just get incredibly sick of the old and often repeated line of TOYOTA=BEST, EVERYTHING ELSE TRASH.
It’s a shame that the EV boom didn’t start with this. I know, revisionist thinking, but it sure would have been nice.
But I’m sure they’ll follow the Volt playbook and put all 3 of these on the back corner of the dealer lot at 17% charge, assigned to new salespeople who haven’t even read the brochure.
It was pretty funny when I bought my Volt (used, but from a Chevrolet dealer) that I had to teach the salesman about the car.
The GM dealer where I used to live had to use their Volt as a customer shuttle after a while because their aging sales staff kept going “I don’t know about these new electric cars!”
This is the first EV I’ve been interested in and also might be able to afford.
Be as cynical as you want, this is an achievement that deserves more respect, honestly.
I hope everyone who’s so eager to pile on when GM does something they think is wrong (or obviously IS wrong), is also willing to give them their due for getting it pretty right here.
The only real miss with this thing is the lack of a frunk, and, honestly, that’s completely OK. It’d be a nice to have, but it’s not as if I can put my ski boots in the engine compartment of a gas car (I mean, I CAN, but … you know).
GM done good here.
GM is starting to remind me how they became the biggest car company on the planet back when. Their styles are nice, their prices are nice, the resulting value is nice as well.
With that that being said, GM still scares me. Especially the first year or two of any model. I’ll let someone else take the hit to see if these things are reliable long term.
I fully agree with this sentiment. The styling isn’t bad (for a GM) and you actually get quite a large amount of standard features for the price. But I’ve never had a GM that didn’t have a metric crap ton of quality issues, from rattles and squeaks, to interior trim destroying itself without any help and the typical myriad of electrical issues. They simply don’t last like Toyotas do.
With that in mind, if you lease this and don’t let the warranty run out, I’m assuming that it’s a perfectly cromulent vehicle, especially at that price point.
I’m an absolute GM stan (my great grandpa was a lifelong GM man, started with Kettering in Detroit), but I’m always willing to admit to GM’s shortcomings. I will say, that my experience with modern GM products has been pretty dang good when it comes to fit and finish. My Volt in particular is a smooth operator, and all of the important touch points feel pretty dang good. I do get the occasional small noise when it’s below freezing, but overall it’s pretty damn good.
My 95 K2500? Let’s just say it’s a different story HAH
My last GM product was a 95 S-10. You could track the route it took from the factory to the accident that killed it at 320,000 miles by following stuff that fell off it like Hansel and Gretel breadcrumbs.
I will say, my last GM rental was pretty good. 2022(ish) Malibu. No rattles, squeaks or weird things coming loose. I would say it had better panel gaps and paint than the Camry I got the next time I rented, but the interior of the Camry felt a lot more durable, with the touch screen on the Malibu feeling a bit more flexible and the seat fabric feeling like a decent sized fart would cause a tear.
The fact that I could even come up with a +/- calculation between a Chevy and a Toyota showed me that GM has come a long way. I’m just not convinced they have come far enough.
I have a ’24 2RS AWD and there is a LOT to like about it. Considering the ridiculously cheap lease price point, its great value. The tech is good (for GM) – although the app is total trash. I havent missed carplay as much as I thought given the android OS. The ride quality is phenomenally good. I was in an E-Class uber on the weekend and felt the Equinox was noticeably smoother. I find the slow charging a pain but its mostly a commuter so no biggy there . HOWEVER. My car is 6 months old and 3k miles in. The rattles are intensifying. Whilst GM often makes good strives, these things remind you, it’s still classic GM. The rattles and creaks are not just one place but a few. GM is aware of most of them and there are fixes so I have to book it in but im very happy I got a short lease. I don’t know what this thing is gunna be like in 24 months time.
I just picked up a ’24 Blazer EV RS and agree all around. The ride is great, charging is serviceable, the OS is good but I would only lease it because I refuse to pay GM a monthly fee to be able to charge planning after the initial subscription expires (which is 8 years which is really good, but still). And the app is absolute trash.
Buying an EV is a fool’s errand at this point. Leasing is the correct choice.
Oh the App. What the hell. We have a ZDX and Acura just reskinned the GM app. It’s absolutely non functional. We don’t even try anymore.
Interesting, my 24 has 6k miles on it and no creaks or rattles. It is quieter than the Tesla’s I have ridden in actually.
ohhh yeah compared to the Tesla the quality is still infinitely better. We have a model 3 and driving both back to back is a crazy difference. My rattles are from the rear view mirror mounting (if you feel it, it’s very old school GM plastics) and the passenger door mounting – both are known service items, Chevy just needs to add some felting and realignment. I can forgive these as its a first model year – these things are to be expected and im not expecting luxe from a Chevy.
More reviews need to have the Pontiac Aztek as the baseline. Also, my boycott of all things GM will continue until the stupid “reverse-lights-as-parking-lights” issue is resolved.
It can be turned off, and should leave the factory this way
Almost mirrors my opinion. It should be be a thing that can be turned on. Easy-peasy.
It’s pretty tough to find the setting to shut this off, and agreed, it should be turned off by default. Living where I live, it’s actually an incredibly useful feature. I just cant bare the shame of leaving it on when I do park in a parking lot at night.
Oh, it’s totally useful in some situations. I just think the amber lights would have been fine and the white lights are affront to the car gods. Or they should have thought harder. Yeah, I know it was a low/no-cost option for them. But, I dunno, wire in some under bumper lights or something?
I may be interested in it or the Prologue sibling. Charging is my issue.
Glad that there’s finally an affordable EV crossover. People snapped up the smaller Bolt. That was similarly timed to 60 and had worse charging. It’s more car per dollar.
For the folks who are stuck in the 2010’s for pricing, this is the new post COVID tariff era pricing. Sucks.
The people hung up on pricing also need to remember that the Bolt started at almost $40K in 2016 dollars and the fire sale prices stuck in their heads were GM writing them off at massive losses, not a sustainable production path.
This pricing for this battery capacity is remarkable.
heh, “fire sale”.
Not to mention that even for me, an MPV apologist, the Equinox EV is a million times better looking and more desirable than the Bolt ever was even after its mediocre little facelift.
The Bolt does 0-60 in the mid-6 second range per multiple sources. That’s a whole different world than “high 9’s” for the base Equinox as per this article.
At near 5000 lbs. the base Equinox is a bit porky, especially compared to the Tesla 3 or Y.
I must have had my wires crossed on Bolt 0-60 times.
All GM Ultium EV’s are porkers. Not sure what it is.
Car and Driver says 7.7 seconds for 0-60 for this model. Not sure why the difference here but I would say they feel much more like the 7’s than the 9’s for 0-60.
I guess it’s in a more premium space the old Equinox the Trax took it’s place. GM in general scares me and GM Bev really scares me. I can see the same people who always buy the lower mid tier of GM SUVs buying this but I think they will have a lot of software bugs and probably some hardware bugs to work out. RAV4 PHEV will outsell it 10 to 1 though.
If a RAV4 PHEV is available. Toyota is not producing many. Those resources are going to Siennas and other regular hybrids.
Meanwhile, GM needs to sell a bunch of these so they can sell $100k cowboy Cadillac Silverados.
They don’t sit at dealer lots much seems like they are mainly ordered. I went to get one for my cousin and all the dealers said they move alot of them. Might be a regional thing though.
As always yet again super pleased with the RAV4 Prime now called PHEV. Without the 7500.00 tax credit anymore, not the best deal it’s a shame.
GM BEV really shouldn’t scare you. They essentially have more experience in the field than just about any of the traditional OEMS, as they’ve been producing BEV’s since the 90’s, and an actual consumer BEV since 2011. The EV specific software on my Volt is absolutely flawless. The transition from re-gen braking to actual physical brakes is completely unnoticeable when using the pedal, unless you “trick it” right at the transition point. I’ve never had any weird issues with the drive specific stuff. The infotainment stuff? Eh. Android Auto is kind of hit-or miss, although that might be my phone.
Toyota and Ford were right there with them. All 3 have trouble with BEV. Toyota knows hybrids Ford uses the same vendors. The volt had all its early issues worked out and seems like a stable platform. But I don’t on the BEV side think any of them are quite as stable as the newer brands. VW getting Rivian to hell then is a good sign and I hope the others turn to someone who knows BEV to figure it out. Hyundai also struggles with software. Hybrid, REX, and PHEV are where the legacy OEMs shine. GM seems to be taking big strides so once they fix their software and controller issues hopefully they will have a stable platform.
Imagine calling a $35,000 car “poverty spec”. I hate this timeline.
Considering that by inflationary standards that’s equivalent to an $18.5k car from 2000 (aka MSRP for an Accord with no leather), I would say the more concerning part of this timeline is that we (collectively) aren’t making enough money for a $35k car to be considered ‘cheap’.
It’s kind of an archaic term at this point and not just because of the prices. The base versions of just about anything have stuff that were luxury features not too long ago and tech that wasn’t dreamed of. Really, I see base equipment on anything I look at and there’s not much or anything more that I’d really want (especially if the base model doesn’t come with the horrid active safety crap I abhor, which is getting rarer to not be forced with—I’d pay extra to not have that shit) except for maybe the little nicer interior materials that often start on the next step up. The base interior materials is the last refuge of customer shaming.
Meanwhile, a RAV4 Hybrid starts at about $32k and is better for most people than either. The PHEV Rav4 has a significant premium but is still the better option for most people, especially if you are in the majority and don’t lease. The depreciation differences will ensure the RAV4 will end up being less expensive over its lifetime in PHEV form.
Try to find one ANYWHERE close to that price. And- totally not the same kind of car. One is a full out EVm the other has a gas engine and a hybrid system.
RAV4 PHEVs are now findable near sticker. They fulfill the exact same set of user needs. Same size, form factor and about the same price. The PHEV will do almost every mile most people drive using power purchased at night. Plus it has zero range anxiety and costs less fuel per mile if you happen to need to pay retail for fuel.
The reason PHEVs were at a premium is because they were the far better option, and a lot of people realized that.
You’re mixing your RAV4s up. The PHEV is insanely more expensive than the regular hybrid.
The RAV4 Hybrid is $32,300 MSRP and very hard to find without tons of options that drive it far above that price. Many dealers are still marking them up, too.
The RAV4 PHEV is $44,265 MSRP base price, and impossible to find at that price, due to both option packages and insane dealership markups.
Not including dealer markup and having to accept options you don’t want, it’s unlikely you’ll ever make up the $11,965 price difference by plugging in to run on electricity unless you keep it for 20 years AND get your electricity for free.
In the OP I mentioned that the PHEV has a significant premium. I also mentioned that the reason they cost less over the length of ownership is the massive difference in depreciation.
The RAV4 is in the same class as the Model-Y and Equinox EV. If you don’t lease, Even with the significant price premium, the RAV4 PHEV is likely going to be a better value for most people. It can use cheap off-peak electricity for most daily driving. The battery is small enough that it can charge overnight without any expensive electrical work in your garage. It can fill up normally on less expensive gas for longer trips. Its depreciation is negligible, unlike the drop-like-a-stone value of EVs. A ’22 RAV4 PHEV is still in the mid $30k range Minimum. A similar Model-Y LR AWD is about $20k.
We’ll see on the depreciation, but you are right it’s definitely more on the EV’s. But with the tax credit I spent a LOT less than the $50k+ they wanted for a Rav4 PHEV. And the electric work for the charger in my garage was only $150. I drove 250 miles this weekend and it cost me around $4.
We can already see the depreciation, and there are lots of data points. PHEVs are also eligible for incentives. My house would require a new panel and meter to put in an EV charger. At a cost of about $5k. The prices I am using on new and used PHEVs for my estimates are available right now.
For the majority of users, rather than a cherry-picked anecdote, the PHEV will be a better deal. It can handle average daily miles while charging overnight. This is based on real-world averages of commute lengths and yearly miles. EVs have a fuel cost advantage on trips between the range of the PHEV and the EV model’s max range.
A 200-mile trip means 160 miles extra is EV. In a PHEV that at $3.20/g it would be about $12.80. An Model Y gets 4m/kWh at best. So that 160 miles would take 40 kWhs which is about $6.5 at current average rates. So a difference of $6. For trips longer than the BEV range the savings quickly turn upside down given the very high rate at retail chargers end up making fuel costs more than gas.
EVs can make sense for people who drive between 50 and 250 miles daily fairly often and rarely further, who have low electrical rates and/or high gas costs, and also those who have a good place to park and don’t need to spend much to install a charger. That isn’t an insignificant population, but it for sure isn’t everyone. The cost of an EV vs. a PHEV vs. a hybrid is very much based on specific use cases. For the middle of the bell curve, PHEVs are likely a better choice.
I absolutely agree with this “The cost of an EV vs. a PHEV vs. a hybrid is very much based on specific use cases.” but I think we disagree on the amount of people for each. Either way, everyone has to make their own calculations and choice.
At home I pay $0.10/kW off peak so it’s easy for me for my daily driving. I only plug in once every week or week and a half. Even public charging on a long trip to top up was only $4 for me. I think you need to have a very long trip (for most people) before you come close to breaking even. At that rate, the only way to make up the difference in purchase price is through the resale value (as you mentioned). I plan on keeping my car for at least 8 years so let’s see how it goes.
Either way, the Fuel Economy gov website has a great calculator where you can put in your fuel prices, electricity rates and even a hybrid calculator to figure out average fuel costs for a vehicle. It’s great for comparing.
Your situation is not typical. The average electrical rate, gas prices, and retail charging rates, combined with the average yearly mileage and commute, favor PHEVs. Yes, every use case is different, but I started with averages, so I am keeping my statement within that context.
That a poverty spec vehicle is now $35k I find….. depressing. Who is going to buy this? Certainly not your typical apartment/duplex renter who won’t have charging accessible. My daughter had a gas Equinox and it was kind of shit, honestly. I don’t know how this is going to sell to anyone.
I know of two (I think) Blazer EV owners who have had GM do buy-backs on their units, too.
Not everybody lives in an apartment or duplex…
39% do.
So a minority. I significant minority, but that is still 61% who could.
And that 61% who could wouldn’t consider an EV anything.
More like 50-55%, because they do sell. I’m not buying one because no CarPlay is a dealbreaker for me right now. The point is that the argument that “no one” will buy these because some people live in places without access to charging is a bad argument made by self-absorbed people.
Life becomes a little easier once you realize that not everything is for everybody.
I don’t live in an apartment or duplex and I couldn’t charge this. Over 100 year old rowhome street in Philadelphia, no driveways or garages, street parking at a premium. Even putting a charger on a post out on the side walk in front of my house would be no guarantee I’d ever get to park in front of it by the time I get home from work and the street is full. I’d have to make weekly shopping trips to the Target up the street which has EA chargers in the lot in order to even get a charge.
So you’re in the 39% mentioned above. These aren’t for everybody, but the constant trope that nobody will buy these because “your typical apartment/duplex resident” can’t is nonsense.
So don’t buy one?
I think I will.
You might find less lines at the nearest Tesla Supercharger station.
For real, I drive by that EA charger daily and its always packed in the evening.
Honestly, CarPlay/Android Auto was an as close to perfect solution as we’re going to get after years of trash infotainment and nav systems, and we’re taking a step backwards if we’re moving away from them.
This new generation of built-in solutions is just another subscription that lets them keep a hand in your wallet forever.
I wonder if Hoovie will buy one.
Probably an off lease one after that Cadillac EV he has stops working for a final time
Is it though? Like really in your heart of hearts do you think so? Or is Tesla considered luxury by default because it started out selling expensive cars?
As for the Equinox itself, I’m the farthest thing imaginable from a customer for this thing, and yet I find myself almost blown away by what GM accomplished here. If they’re selling this at a major loss like they did with the Bolt, that is one thing, but if they are making a profit on this exact vehicle, that’s one of the most impressive feats in the automotive world.
Ooo good point(s). I agree that, for some reason, when I sit in a model 3 or Y I don’t see it as a luxury car, per se. I mean, they only are starting to get ventilated seats in them with the brand new refresh…meanwhile my 2003 Expedition with over 200k on the clock (and I bought for $1000) had ventilated seats that worked great.
Also, as a side note, I work with battery/cell engineers at various manufacturers. I must say, I was blown away at the lack of arrogance when talking with the cell/pack engineers at GM. Very refreshing and collaborative group.
Tesla on the other hand….all suppliers fucking hate working with them.
Midwesterners!
Had a Model Y Uber recently and was not impressed, aside from the non-ergonomic egress, etc… The materials felt like something from the ’80s without the Brougham influence TBH.
I think the most charitable read is that the Y and 3 are something like the Mercedes CLA or Metris, a non-luxury vehicle from a luxury brand, but even that seems questionable (the Model S is no S-Class).
But Mercedes is not always a luxury brand outside the US.
Mercedes built its reputation on build quality, something Tesla does not have.
I read that as tongue in cheek, but maybe that’s just me. The only thing luxury about Teslas is the luxuriousness of the profit margins they must be making by selling those plywood shacks for well above EVquinox prices.
There has been a lot of times in history when luxury didn’t necessarily equal better quality, though it often came with a cracker engine. Of course, these are EVs, so that doesn’t count, though they are all respectably quick. They usually cost more than the average cost of a new car, so they could be considered a luxury because of that, but they’re probably on the cheaper end of the average for EVs. They’re certainly not luxurious or exclusive, but they’re also not cheap. Then again, someone can pay a lot for a mint old Pinto, but that doesn’t suddenly make it a luxury car to all but the most uniquely wired mind (that person who paid a lot for an old Pinto, for instance). I don’t know. I guess an argument could be made that they’re luxury in that they’re more than one needs to fulfill the need for basic transportation, but they certainly don’t feel or look like luxury. Maybe it’s like pornography, where you know it when you see it?
Mary Barry said a little while back that they were making a profit on EVs. How they calculated that is another question.
HollywoodDetroit accounting?It’s a built-in cost line item from the “before days” when everyone had to go electric. That’s why it exists. Alongside the Caddy ESVs, of course…