The new 2025 Chevrolet Equinox is a handsome thing. It’s a big leap over the outgoing model, which itself has been a strong seller for GM. But if the Equinox is good, surely the Equinox Plus is better, right? It exists. It has ideal stats. It does everything a successful plug-in hybrid has to do, and now GM just needs to sell it in America.
The Equinox Plus was officially launched at the Beijing Auto Show by SAIC-GM, a partnership between the two automakers that sells to the Chinese market. The headline feature is its plug-in hybrid drivetrain. It sports a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine good for 177 horsepower, paired with an electric motor that delivers 188 horsepower. The PHEV model can sprint to 60 mph in approximately 6.8 seconds, which is decent. The total combined output is listed by Chevrolet China as 365 hp (272 kW), which is just the engine and motor’s output summed together. With that said, if the drivetrain can really output peak power from both sources at once, you’d expect a faster zero-to-60 mph time.
The Equinox Plus will naturally have an all-electric mode. The top Activ trim will have up to 96 miles (155 km) of pure electric range from a 24.4 kWh battery. Lower models will have 63 miles (102 km) of range from a 16.5 kWh pack. Those are CLTC figures, however. On the WLTC test cycle, they sit lower at 74 miles and 49 miles respectively. Ultimately, though, armed with a 12.2-gallon fuel tank, SAIC-GM claims the Equinox Plus will cruise for 621 miles (1000 km) or more.
As the top-of-the-range model, the Activ gets another party trick. It will have a 3.3 kW vehicle-to-load capability that is absent from the lower trims (this means you can use it to power other things, like tools, a DJ kit, whatever). It’s also available with Goodyear Wrangler Territory all-terrain tires if you fancy taking it off the beaten track.
Hilariously, the Equinox Plus only further muddies the broader offering from GM. Right now, there is the basic Chevy Equinox, and then there’s the all-electric Equinox EV, which is actually a completely different vehicle. The Equinox Plus is based on the gas-powered version, albeit with the motor assist to give it longer legs.
The question is whether the US will get the PHEV version of the Equinox. Plug-in hybrids have been on a charge in the US, racking up good sales of late. Adding an electrified drivetrain to the Equinox lineup probably wouldn’t hurt and GM has hinted they’re trying to figure out how to do this.
In any case, a long-legged hybrid Equinox clearly has its own appeal. It would naturally get better mileage than the gasoline version while avoiding the EV’s need to rely on charging networks.
In any case, the Equinox Plus has only just been revealed for China. Chevrolet hasn’t given any indications that it will head Stateside just yet. The Autopian has contacted GM for comment, and will update this article accordingly.
Image credits: SAIC-GM
Update: It’s not clear that the combined power numbers were correct and so have been clarified as those posted by Chevrolet China. Thanks for pointing this out.
Wow. I can imagine a more perfect vehicle to launch in the North American market right now.
No way GM brings it here.
…and it has fast charging.
Needs moar glossy black plastic. /s
It’s almost as if they heard Matt’s pleas for an Aztek PHEV… and a finger on the monkey paw curled.
GM hates America and loves China. China doesn’t love them anymore though and I hope they go bankrupt.
Sounds like a very well informed, thoroughly researched hot take.
I’d start with this one:
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-gm-head-vows-to-focus-on-china-2011feb15-story.html
Read the headline and then the article:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2020/09/01/gm-leads-in-shipping-jobs-to-mexico-company-shifting-focus-to-china/?sh=48345a4f4dfa
Common man perspective with some facts:
https://www.reddit.com/r/cars/comments/anv4ti/opinion_gm_is_now_more_focused_china_than_the_us/
How its going:“GM sales in China are down 50 percent from their 2017 peak,” said Michael Dunne, former president of GM Indonesia and CEO of consulting firm Dunne Insights. “Chevy and Buick no longer mean much to Chinese consumers. Cadillac is the last line of defense. For GM in China, it’s up or out.”
https://www.autonews.com/china/gm-may-pivot-luxury-counter-slump-china-profits-barra-says#:~:text=At%20the%20same%20time%2C%20GM's,the%20first%20time%20since%202009.
Hows your very well informed, thoroughly researched hot take. Next time have a google friend.
Love that you were ready with the receipts! GM sold out to China years ago and as you said it’s not panning out well for them in the long run. Let’s see how long they can last…
GM hates markets where it’s products are perceived as cost-cutter crap for low-income, poor-credit losers – unless it’s a massive truck/SUV that can be sold for over $75,000
Or a Corvette.
Which is everywhere but China.
Except China no longer needs GM.
Objectively, this seems like a decent vehicle and if it was under $40k nicely equipped, it would do great here. However, my personal dislike for all things GM will continue until they stop abusing reverse lights for purposes other than reversing.
Having a Chevy with that feature for years has made me appreciate it quite a bit. Look at the center stop light for a clue what it’s doing.
You (and GM) keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. 😛
Oye! Those freakin’ reverse lights … grrr …
As a runner/pedestrian out in the pre-dawn hours, I must assume these vehicles are about to back out at me and so take defensive action.
The CHMSL is of no use to me from sideways on and at a quick glance.
I have that feature turned off on mine.
“I’m doing my part!”
You can turn it off lol
For those of us in rural areas, we appreciate the option. Provides light all around the car as you approach which helps when checking for wild animals and whatnot. Rather see the skunk or whatever than be surprised
More evidence that GM is now a Chinese Company. It was evident in 2017 and more obvious now. GM releases new vehicles in the China market FIRST, and only later may sell them in the USA. The reason is that GM is 100% dependent on Chinese battery production and China holds much of GM’s debt even after we (the U.S. taxpayers) bailed GM out in their time of need and pulled them from the brink of collapse. GM and its corporate officers are traitors. They should be investigated and prosecuted. China has taken over the global lead in transportation and GM’s sell-out is a classic illustration. ????.
um, ok
What specific law did GM break that they could be prosecuted for?
Refused to sign a loyalty document for #45. /s
OK…But last time I checked, China is the world’s largest automobile market. Isn’t GM a business? Doesn’t it make sense that a business would sell a new product in its largest market first? Also, what’s with all these so-called patriotic Americans hoping for GM’s downfall? Don’t they employ an absolute shit-ton of middle-class blue collar Americans, regardless of where this one specific car was debuted? I just don’t get it. Patriotism is wishing for ALL of your country to do well, not just one faction of it.
Don’t even bother trying to make sense of the hypocrisy of it all, it’ll just make your brain hurt.
https://www.ultiumcell.com/
and
https://www.gm.com/gm-brands
https://i0.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/001/007/WAT.jpg
If they kept the base price under $40k these would sell pretty damn well in the US. I wouldn’t be surprised to see it make it’s way here. But, this is GM, so they might also never bring it here for fear it’ll cannibalize sales from the Equinox EV, or maybe for an entirely different reason.
This checks all the boxes… Except price, conspicuously omitted. Sell this in the 30s and it’ll be a smash hit.
This is GM though, so it either will never come to the US or it will be $56k and bought only by people who shop nowhere else.
If they can’t sell a Chinese-built hybrid for less than $40K they deserve to fail.
I drive a Volt, and this checks all the boxes…except I cannot fathom why they continue with this stupid no Applecar/AndroidAuto! That really bothers me, because I don’t want to have another stupid app I need to log into when I get into my car.
This would print money in the US so naturally GM wants nothing to do with that.
Silly you. You don’t print money, you borrow it.
Then you weasel out of returning it. Late stage capitalism 101.
I’m very curious to see what the drivetrain setup is. If it’s Volt-style, bringing it to the US and calling it an “unlimited range EV” would be a slam dunk.
Even at the lower cycle numbers quoted, this is a definite step in the right direction from an engineering package perspective. 30something miles electric only is horsesqueeze.
For the first time since 1998, I’m looking at this GM product and thinking, shit, I’d buy that if the price was right.
That was my thought. 50/75 miles of electric-only driving is where PHEVs need to be to make sense. I’d actually consider this vehicle if I was in the market because of that range
After a number of years of getting a “LOL, nice try Chevy” reaction from me on anything but the Suburban, Corvette, and trucks….they are finally starting to pique my interest, but man….their ultra-busy styling needs a bit of refinement still.
How heavy is this thing? That amount of power is enough to get an SQ5 to 60 in 4.7s. This thing has C5 Corvette power and can barely manage a sub 7 second 0-60 time?
Weight is part of it, but also I don’t think this thing is designed for speed.
I don’t think the Rav4 Prime is designed for speed either, but it will embarrass an Equinox PHEV and will do so with way less power.
This would have a pretty heavy battery in addition to an engine and transmission.
I’m pretty sure you can’t just add the numbers from the gas engine to the power from the electric motor to get “total output”.
My bet is that this is either a series hybrid so the car is only propelled by the electric motor. Or, if it is a parallel hybrid they don’t sync up perfectly and the total output at any give time is something less then 364 HP.
Chevrolet is also smart enough to know Equinox buyers don’t care about 0-60 as long as it is reasonable (and 6ish seconds is just fine). They probably don’t want to add cost with heavier drivetrain components just to support some 0-60 number.
Exactly, something doesn’t add up. There’s no way this thing makes almost 400HP and is that slow unless it weighs 6,000lbs, even on eco tires. The Lexus TX makes similar power and does it in 5.7s, and I’m guessing it’s a lot bigger than the Equinox too. The Equinox PHEV 0-60 time is comparable to the Tucson hybrid with 100 less HP and an electric range of only 33mi, so a much smaller battery.
I’d bet it uses a different battery cell. Batteries have tradeoffs too, and a higher capacity Lithium cell can have lower max discharge rates. I’d bet the quoted HP and torque figures are max values that you can only access for a second or two before the motor controller backs off to protect the battery.
[Edit: But this is China and I don’t read good. Are they using Li-Ion cells (in which case this is plausible), or are they using LiFePO4 cells (in which case you can discharge at insanely high rates without damaging the cells)?]
Y’all are too obsessed with 0-60 times on a boring passenger vehicle. if it’s under 10, it’s fine!
I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD THE 0-60 FASCINATION…IT’S DUMBBBBBBB
From Car & Driver:
Nobody else is claiming the combined output stated in this article as far as I could find. I was unable to find any other sources claiming a combined output at all for the Equinox PHEV, but the Buick above appears to have a similar setup and makes far less than 364HP. If you saw those power numbers and that 0-60 time, and considered the segment this thing plays in, and didn’t think any further about it, then fine. But I did, and I think the numbers in this article are incorrect.
you may have replied to the wrong person, as I was not arguing output
Chevrolet China is claiming this on their website, both on the main page for the Equinox Plus, and its accompanying stat page.
We didn’t invent these numbers – GM China did. There may be a question around them but they weren’t our invention.
https://www.chevrolet.com.cn/equinox-phev/#
Thanks for confirming. I wonder if it’s normal for them to advertise that way in China?
Ok I’m the only one that thinks this thing doesn’t actually make nearly 400HP and over 400lbft of torque. This has nothing to do with what kind of car it is. a Tundra is faster!
Either it’s made out of tungsten, or it doesn’t have 360HP. That’s the point I’m making, and the 0-60 time is the means. What else in this class makes that kind of combined power? Nobody else thinks 364HP might be a bit much for the segment?
This is a fair point and I’ve updated the article until we know for sure, but I think you may be correct.
Chevy’s China site lists it that way – 272 kW, which equals 364 hp.
We can argue if Chevrolet China is massaging the figures; unless both engine and motors are delivering max output at the same time, it’s not really fair to state it that way.
But those are the manufacturer listed stats.
https://www.chevrolet.com.cn/equinox-phev/
It’s that the combined power of engine+motors cannot all be applied at once through the drivetrain without compromising it somehow.
Actual to the wheels power is something like two thirds to half the added power outputs.
622 miles – 96 miles of electric range = 525, divided by 12.2 = 43 mpg highway in gas mode. If true, that is seriously impressive (the RAV4 Prime is 38 mpg).
But wait, since the 96 miles is fake anyways, either the 622 miles is a lie or the highway mileage on gas is even higher.
The article gives both CLTC and WLTC test numbers for the electric range and doesn’t specify the source of GM’s total range estimate, but I would guess it’s CLTC. So yeah, the 622 miles is a lie too, at least for your math purposes here.
The Volt got 42 MPG on gas. So 43 is maybe rightish?
The Volt was a small car and seemingly a lot more aerodynamic.
…and the Volt was FWD. The mileage diff between an aerodynamic FWD Prius Prime and the bigger chunkier AWD Rav4 is more than 10 mpg as I recall.
Knowing how GM works, this will not be released in the US and they will only sell us the electrified version that is a different vehicle plus the regular ICE. I am pretty sure the HV battery components are sourced from China (BYD is the manufacturer of the battery), not eligible for tax credits. They went all in with Ultium architecture, including battery plants in the US. They need to setup a supply chain in the US with components not made in China in order to be sold here and have the government happy.
which they will not do…for….reasons
This needs to come to the US. GM was the leader in PHEV’s with the Volt and then abandoned the segment. We have a BMW 330e because GM didn’t have a replacement for our Volt when we were ready for something new. 60 miles of electric range seems about perfect for this. Plenty for the average commute.
PHEVs with larger batteries and longer range such as this vehicle has are the best and quickest way to get to green IMHO. More manufacturers need to follow suit. Since most people don’t drive 300 miles a day, something within their average daily mileage gets us to mostly electric pretty fast. I hope that we see more of these.
Even with a battery half this size, my Ford C-Max PHEV has given me a steady 65 mpg. I don’t mind outdriving my EV range. Every drive has a first 20 miles, and those add up daily. The EV takes care of the kind of short local trips that give you the worst mileage in a gas car, with a cold engine running richer.
gm, once again, almost does it right….
Instead of “Equinox Plus”, they should have called it Equinox+
Using the plus sign/symbol at the end of the model name, would be a great way for gm to tag it’s hybrid vehicles.
ICE + Electric… ICE+
Silverado…. Silverado+
Suburban…. Suburban+
I am going to assume you understand what I am saying….. which, is pretty dumb of me, actually. My wife, our kids… none of them ever seem to understand what I am saying! lol.
That’s because you’re a spaz, Heather. 🙂
Actually, I agree with you, but for specific reasons. Using “plus” is something I associate with Apple and it’s comically bad branding for iPhones (Pro, Plus, Max, the difference is so unintuitive to me). Using the “+” sign would sidestep some of that.
Borrow from the Kia Soul’s old trim levels. You can have the Equinox (gas), Equinox+ (PHEV), and Equinox! (EV).