While waiting on Chevrolet to announce a new Bolt that takes over the title of the cheapest electric vehicle in the US, the Equinox EV crossover would have to suffice as the cheapest electric SUV with 300+ miles of range.
Instead of releasing the more expensive 2RS trim that starts at $44,995 as originally announced, Chevrolet has now decided to go with the humbler FWD Equinox 1LT first.
Chevy Equinox is the cheapest long-range electric SUV in the US
Priced at just $34,995, the Equinox 1LT undercuts the base Tesla Model Y by the full $7,500 amount of the US tax credit, but Chevy confirmed that it will in its turn be eligible for the government's point-of-purchase subsidy, too. In other words, the first Equinox EV that Chevy will start selling next quarter will be priced from just $27,495.
This has given Chevrolet the green light to brag with both the pricing and range of the Equinox, saying that it will be the most affordable electric SUV with 300-mile range in the US. The Equinox 1LT trim has an EPA range estimate of 319 miles which is more than the Tesla Model Y Long Range that costs $47,990 before the tax credit.
Granted, the Equinox is a smaller crossover and Chevy still doesn't have the same EV clout as Tesla does. It certainly has the street cred built by the success story of America's most affordable electric car - the Bolt - and the Equinox can bask in that same affordability spotlight very soon.