The Chevrolet Equinox EV is a vehicle that is very popular in the country. As a result, 17,000 copies of GM’s electric SUV have been sold from coast to coast since mid-2024.
The vast majority of them are currently traveling the roads of Quebec. As it offers a range of 513 kilometers for the front-wheel drive variant, according to Natural Resources Canada, the Equinox EV meets the different needs of consumers seeking electrification.
I had the chance to put it to the test during the famous polar vortex in January. This period of intense cold allowed me to carry out a series of tests with the vehicle in order to check its performance in temperatures below -20 degrees Celsius. Among other things, I made a trip to Quebec from Montreal, and I also measured its energy loss during freezing nights. Here are my different results.
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I will start by stating that the Equinox EV RS that I took for my tests was delivered to me in conditions that were disadvantageous for its performance. Sure enough, I picked up the vehicle, and it was not connected to a charging station. So I couldn’t use the battery preheating modes to optimize the SUV’s performance.
I therefore chose to leave without preparation and I played the role of a user who, by choice or lack of knowledge, uses his EV without the optimization devices at his disposal.
My test SUV was a 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV RS. Equipped with front-wheel drive, my Equinox EV promises a range of 513 kilometers. It is still an 85 kilowatt-hour battery which takes care of storing the energy necessary for the proper functioning of the SUV.
Last parameter, it was cold, very cold during my various tests. The outside temperature fluctuated between -15 and -27 degrees. Another thing is that I drove the Equinox EV comfortably, without any sacrifices. I drove on average at 110 kilometers/hour and used the heater to feel good. In short, I drove the electric SUV as I would have done with a thermal equivalent.
Montreal-Quebec: — 17 degrees Celsius
Let’s start with the first test. I picked up my test vehicle in Montreal, more precisely in the west of the city. The trip to my destination was, in total, 288 kilometers.
My dashboard showed an outside temperature of -17 degrees when I left, and my vehicle was charged to precisely 80% of its charge. I repeat myself, but my goal was to put myself in the shoes of someone who decides not to take the time to prepare their trip, so I took the vehicle with the energy level available.
When I left, the vehicle still showed a solid range of 430 kilometers on the on-board computer. So I was confident, until I entered the address of my destination into the navigation system.
Indeed, once this step was done, the Equinox EV told me that I would arrive at my destination with -24% battery available. You should know that the vehicle calculates the remaining range of the vehicle based on the route entered into the GPS, so this data was realistic. This then told me that I would have to make a stop on the way to recharge. Interestingly, however, the on-board Google system is very user-friendly and offers a logical stop on the journey to be able to recharge the battery properly in a level 3 terminal (180 kW). It’s cool and easy to use!
With this obligatory stop well recorded in my mind, I took the road towards the charging station which was located in Trois-Rivières. However, I quickly understood that I would not make it to Quebec during the 153 kilometers that separated me from the refueling station.
- The vehicle’s projected range of 430 kilometers was rapidly disappearing, to the point where, when I arrived at my destination, I only had 57 kilometers of range remaining. Calculated, I consumed on average 34.5 kilowatt hours/100 kilometers during this trip, a figure that I found high if I consider that I drove in a civilized manner.
After an efficient 28-minute charge in a 180 kilowatt station with an average charging power of 100 kW, I got back on the road with 75% of my charge and managed to reach my destination without a hitch. Moreover, I would like to point out that the Equinox EV automatically activated the battery preconditioning system before I arrived at the charging station, in order to save me time. Once again, it’s nice and very friendly.
When I got home, I still had 37% of battery life left. First challenge achieved, first observation made. No, the Equinox EV, in my test conditions, is not able to travel from Montreal to Quebec on a full tank. Interestingly, even at 100% battery initially, I wouldn’t have been able to do this.
How much energy does the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV lose in winter without being connected to a charging station?
I took advantage of the polar cold to carry out another test, that of energy loss. During my second night with the vehicle, I decided not to connect it and let the Equinox EV face the -27 degrees Celsius expected during the evening.
My objective was to put myself in the shoes of a motorist who does not have access to a charging station during an evening with friends or in a chalet and who must rely on his vehicle to return home the next day.
I parked the vehicle in my driveway with 40% battery (yes, I recharged between the two tests). After 8 hours outside braving the polar vortex, the Equinox EV lost 5% of its charge when I got back into the vehicle the next morning.
I honestly found this loss high, because I previously tested the Tesla Model Y under the same conditions and only lost 1% battery. I reiterate that it was particularly cold during the night, and that this is not a typical scenario.
A little orange turtle appeared in my instrumentation the next morning, however, and the electric SUV warned me that it had automatically activated protection mode. The latter reduces the performance of the Equinox EV to conserve the remaining energy as much as possible. After a few kilometers, the turtle disappeared, and the vehicle returned to normal, but let’s just say that the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV had a long night.
In short, in light of my tests, I realize that the Equinox EV is capable of facing polar cold, but that it is clearly preferable to be equipped and to make good use of the different systems at our disposal. Without connection and in normal use, the performance of the Equinox decreases enormously in periods of extreme cold. I also recorded an average consumption of 38.4 kilowatt hours/100 kilometers after my two days of extreme cold; this figure would have been lower if I had used battery preconditioning before taking the highway and if I had connected my vehicle to a terminal overnight.
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