- The Equinox EV LT costs $34,995 before federal tax credits
- Power comes from an 85-kwh battery pack
- The most frugal model earns an EPA rating of 319 miles of range
While the political future of electric cars remains unsure, the bona fides of EVs lock themselves in with almost every new nameplate to emerge. EVs can be more comfortable, more stylish, more safe, and more technology-rich than gas-powered vehicles—and of course, they’re more efficient too.
But value? Many new EVs fail that equation as automakers tap the richer niches to fund the third and fourth wave of electric cars. But one new electric car bucks that bucks-up trend: the 2025 Chevy Equinox EV, our Best Hybrid/Electric Car To Buy 2025.
Chevy still sells a gas counterpart in the form of the Chevy Equinox—but trust us, you’ll want to skip that version for this one, and not just because it’s the least expensive entry among our five Best Car To Buy finalists.
2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV
The Equinox EV sells us first with a wedge, mini-wagon shape that lights up the road with a friendly LED-lit face and a well-toned body. Inside, even the Equinox EV LT gets an 11.0-inch digital display twinned with a 17.7-inch touchscreen. We’re not in love with GM’s decision to block Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from the interface, but what they’ve built on the Google built-in code base works well.
The Equinox EV’s other tech stacks bode well for crash-test results. It sports front and rear automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and active lane control.
An 85.0-kwh battery pack forms most of the floor of the Equinox EV, and Chevy suits it up with either single-motor front-wheel drive or dual-motor all-wheel drive. The former whirs out 220 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque, with an estimated 0-60 mph run of about eight seconds. The latter version boosts output to 300 hp and 355 lb-ft and flicks off 0-60 mph runs in 6.0 seconds—Mustang GT numbers from a generation ago.
Across the board, the Equinox EV cruises in a responsible and responsive way, with a composed ride and its hushed drivetrain. It’ll go for hours in near-silence—up to 319 miles on a full charge in the single-motor model, or up to 307 miles in the dual-motor edition.
2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV
It’ll do so while carrying up to four large passengers with ample headroom and knee room, front and back. Big door openings make entry and exit a breeze, and a third narrow being will sit in back, if they so choose. Cargo space blooms from 26.4 to 57.2 cubic feet when the rear setbacks fold down—but Chevy doesn’t mold in a front trunk for another cube or two of storage for the charging cable.
If you’re worried about charging, the Equinox EV’s 11.5-kw onboard charger can top off the battery at a 150-kw rate on a DC fast charger, good enough for a refill from 10-80% in the time it takes to watch an episode of “Jeopardy!” At home on a Level 2 station, it can reclaim about 36 miles of drive range per hour. A NACS adapter allows it to tap into Tesla’s Supercharger network for long road trips.
As long as the credit remains law, the Equinox EV qualifies for the full $7,500 federal EV tax credit. You could drive home a bargain for under $30,000—and swear off oil changes. That makes the Equinox EV a winner in our book—and makes it our Best Hybrid/Electric Car To Buy 2025.