2025 Chevy Equinox EV Fully Tested: 356 Miles of Range for $35,000

• The new Chevy Equinox EV just aced the Edmunds EV Range Test, traveling 356 miles.
• This figure beats the EPA estimate by an impressive 37 miles.
• On the Edmunds test track, the Equinox put in some very average numbers for an EV.

Edmunds EV Range Test

The EPA estimates a driving range of 319 miles for this version, a front-wheel drive Equinox EV 1LT. On the Edmunds EV Range test, we managed 356 miles, which is a massive number for such a reasonably priced vehicle. Our result is a 12% improvement. This also represents a 33-mile improvement over our long-term Blazer RS EV, which went 320 miles on our range test.

The fact that a $35,000 vehicle went this far on our test is impressive. This puts the Equinox EV alongside much more expensive vehicles on our range test leaderboard. If you want to look at it from a mile-per-dollar perspective, the $34,995 Equinox EV comes in at $98/mile. Compare that to the Polestar 2 Single Motor we tested, which cost $53,500 and went 362 miles; that's $148/mile. Even our long-term 2024 Tesla Model 3 Long Range, which cost $47,380 and went 338 miles, only comes to $140/mile. A Chevy Bolt EV we tested in 2022 — one of the least expensive EVs around — averaged out to $127/mile. The Equinox EV is a champ in this regard.

Our observed energy consumption was less than the EPA's estimate too. According to the EPA, the front-drive Equinox EV should use 31 kWh per 100 miles. But according to our testing data, we only used 29 kWh per 100 miles. That's a 6% improvement.

How we range test

Ambient conditions were pretty great when we tested the Equinox; it was a clear day with an outside temperature of 61 degrees Fahrenheit. We set the Chevy's climate control to 72 degrees and put the regenerative braking on its highest level.

Every vehicle driven on the Edmunds EV Range Test follows the same set of parameters. We aim for an average speed of 40 mph, with 60% city driving and 40% done on the highway. We believe this better represents the real-world conditions of EV drivers, rather than just setting the cruise control at 70 mph and hitting the highway.

We started the Equinox EV at Edmunds' headquarters in Santa Monica, California, with a 100% state of charge and stayed within 5 mph of all posted speed limits. We returned with 12 miles of indicated range remaining, which is standard practice, simply for safety purposes.

An average day at the track

The Equinox EV is not a performance car by any stretch of the imagination, but its track numbers are still adequate across the board — especially at its low price. In the acceleration test, the Equinox EV took 7.8 seconds to hit 60 mph. It then reached the quarter mile in 16 seconds at 86.4 mph. The Equinox also stopped from 60 to 0 mph in 121 feet. Let's compare those numbers to the Kia Niro EV (front-wheel drive), which is the Equinox's closest competitor.

The Niro accelerated to 60 in 7.1 seconds, or 0.7 second quicker than the Chevy. It also outran the Equinox in the quarter mile, hitting 15.3 seconds at 92.7 mph. In 60-0 braking, the Niro was also slightly better at 119 feet. It's worth noting, however, that the Niro traveled 280 miles in the Edmunds EV Range Test, far less than the Equinox EV's 356-mile figure. The Kia's starting price is also roughly $7,000 more expensive.

Around our handling course, the Equinox EV wasn't as pleasant as our rear-wheel-drive Blazer EV. Under foot-down hard acceleration, the Equinox torque steers rather aggressively, requiring lots of steering input to keep it straight. The Michelin Primacy tires are better suited for comfort than grip, which means the Equinox didn't hang on super well in the corners.

But for an electric SUV that is made for day-to-day commuting, the Equinox does everything that it needs to. The ride quality is exceptional, and the cabin does a great job of keeping noise outside. Compared to any gas-powered SUV around the same price point, the Equinox EV is a far more enjoyable experience.