The 2024 Chevy Equinox EV is the first of its kind, but it will definitely not be the last. Chevy has seriously raised the bar with the introduction of the Equinox EV—an electrifying example of automotive ingenuity and cutting-edge technology. This model is packed full of tech designed for the modern era, and it's a prime example of the leaps and bounds that are taking place in the auto industry and how driving is changing for the better. more Technology is improving on all fronts, but with the introduction of more and more EVs, we are seeing a new breed of technologically advanced vehicles—ones that rely on seemingly futuristic tech to provide an answer to inflating gas prices, growing ecological concerns, and more. Chevy’s electric lineup is expanding, and the Equinox EV is just another chapter in the story of Chevy becoming electrified. So, let's explore its excellent tech in greater detail... Get Your Charge On If you have never driven in an electric vehicle, you may be unfamiliar with range anxiety, which is a term coined for the fear of running out of electric charge while on the road. This was once a much bigger issue, as the charging infrastructure that is in place today took time to build up. Charging stations have become more readily available over the past decade, with almost two hundred thousand charging stations available in North America. Thanks to Chevy’s efforts to make going electric easier, there are a series of tools provided that make planning out your day easier. With the myChevrolet app, users have access to route planning, which allows them to plan out a trip dependent on where there are charging stations. This type of navigation assistance is invaluable, making it a tool that every EV owner should have access to. Taking the EV initiative further, Chevy has also rolled out Ultium Charge 360, a move forward in making going electric even easier; this move involves Chevy making charging more convenient, more affordable, and more inclusive. Infotainment Done Right The Equinox EV is available in an array of trims, each with a large 17.7-inch infotainment touchscreen as the main focal point of the cabin. It is here that drivers and passengers can access the suite of technology features designed to improve every drive. All trims provide Google Built-In compatibility, putting the convenience of Google features at your fingertips. Access Google Maps to use, using a feature that helps you find charging stations nearby so you can drive in comfort and peace of mind, free of range anxiety. There is even a feature that helps you search for Super Cruise-compatible roads, a nifty program in itself. Google Play is another feature that can be accessed through the touchscreen display, along with Google Assistant, which makes it convenient to send texts, make calls, and more. The display is nestled in the center stack, taking up little room while simultaneously offering a large screen that puts safety, entertainment, and informational apps right within reach. Here, you can monitor the level of charge available, see maintenance reminders, and even control basic functions like air conditioning and heating. Even the instrument cluster has been replaced with a detailed and state-of-the-art display for a sleek and uniform look. Standard Safety Tech The Equinox EV is equipped with a plethora of standard safety features, as high-tech as you would expect the features to be on an electric vehicle. Each Equinox EV has the Chevy Safety Assist suite, which includes features like Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning. These two features work together, helping prevent unintentional drifting: Lane Departure Warning can issue alerts if it senses that a vehicle is leaving its lane unintentionally, while Lane Keep Assist provides gentle wheel turns to keep the vehicle in the center of the road. The Following Distance Indicator is another standard feature and would be filed under the preventative category. This feature uses cameras and sensors that watch the vehicle in front of you, monitoring how close it is in seconds and displaying that time on your dash so that you know how long it would take you to brake before impact. Not only does this feature indicate if you are following too closely, but it helps to develop positive driving habits by reminding you to keep your distance. A safety feature that has been unsung in its brilliance is the IntelliBeam automatic high beams. Imagine you are driving on a dark and winding road, and your high beams are on; a vehicle appears in front of you, blinded by your high beams, and it can no longer see the bend in the road or know how sharply to turn... With this simple yet effective feature, you and the approaching vehicle can remain calm thanks to its automatic setting: it will turn down your high beams until the vehicle has passed, at which point it kicks them back on for smooth sailing. Optional Safety & Convenience The Equinox EV is also available with an assortment of safety and convenience features that are sure to make life a bit easier. The Safety Alert Seat might seem a bit more like an arcade game rather than a safety feature, but it is, in fact, just that. The Safety Alert Seat is a feature that uses motors within the seat to send pulses through the driver’s seat in order to indicate the direction of a potential danger. If the vehicle senses an imminent impact, these pulses can provide just enough notice for you to act effectively. If the pulses are not right for you, don’t worry because they can be swapped for audible alerts. Another safety feature is Reverse Automatic Braking, which can sense objects when the vehicle is in reverse. If an object is detected, the program provides alerts or even hard braking in an attempt to minimize or avoid impact. Safety technology has come quite a way over the last few decades, and the fact that these features are being included as standard in a fully electric vehicle is mind-blowing. You don’t have to give up anything when going electric—except trips to the gas station! Convenience features sometimes ride the line where safety is concerned, which is the case for some of those available on the Equinox EV. Adaptive Cruise Control is one of these features, making it safer and more convenient to be on the road. Depending on the vehicle, a forward-facing camera and radar technology scan the area ahead, monitoring the vehicle directly in front of you. A following distance can then be set, allowing cruise control to take over while maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle in front. Adaptive Cruise Control can even allow your vehicle to follow the vehicle in front to a stop, taking a lot of pressure off you while driving in traffic. It can even function while trailering—and considering that the Equinox EV has a towing capacity of 1,500 lbs, that is pretty nifty. Also, let us stop and take a moment and be excited at the fact that an electric vehicle has a max towing rating of 1,500 lbs! The Tech of the 2024 Equinox EV Times are changing, forcing us to also change and adapt. As some tech becomes smarter, it is crucial that our lives are able to keep up. It is an impressive feat that the auto industry has so masterfully built the EV market so quickly, and is improving it still with each passing year. Even more impressive is that the technology behind EVs is keeping up.
