SUVs have been the best-selling type of vehicle in the U.S. for quite some time now and this trend is being carried over to EVs. The Tesla Model Y has already become the best-selling car in the world, and as electric battery and motor tech advances, more and more affordable models are joining the fray. Not content on being left behind, Chevrolet and Volvo have both revealed entry-level SUVs set to join the market in the 2024 and 2025 models years respectively.

The Chevrolet Equinox EV is set to go on sale in the fall of 2023 and brings a lot of big changes to the Equinox nameplate. It will start at around $30,000 for the base model and provide between 210 and 290 horsepower depending on the trim and drivetrain configuration you get. Chevy is offering the Equinox EV in two different battery configurations that should provide between 250 and 300 miles of range. Volvo just revealed the EX30 compact crossover SUV, its cheapest electric SUV ever. The EX30 is set to have a starting price tag of around $35,000 and is being hailed as one of the most well-rounded SUV offerings revealed so far. Whether it manages to hold up to this promise or not still remains to be seen.

• 2024 Volvo EX30

  Expert Opinion: The Volvo EX30 is a new and affordable electric SUV that brings together fair all-electric performance and typical Volvo safety at a starting price that most people can afford. It doesn't offer a ton of cargo space or ridiculous performance, but it's a solid compact crossover that's perfect for small families or individuals that don't typically need to carry a lot of luggage. 

  Engine:

  Single Motor | Dual Motor

  Power Output

  272-428 Horsepower

  Torque

  253-400 Pound-Feet

  Range

  265-411 Miles

  Transmission

  Direct Drive

  Driveline

  RWD or AWD

  MSRP

  $35,000 (est)

  Charge Time

  8 Hours @ 11kW | 26.5 Minutes @ 175 kW

  Towing Capacity

  2,204 - 3,527 Pounds

  0-60 MPH

  3.6-5.7 Seconds

  Pros

  • Quite affordable for an EV
  • Spunky performance for the price
  • Typical Volvo safety standards
  • Minimalist interior

  Cons

  • Must opt for the dual-motor model if you don't want RWD
  • Cargo capacity is minimal compared to the competition
  • Looks like a futuristic Audi A2
  • Only 265 miles of range for twin-motor model

• 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV

  Expert Opinion: With a starting price of around $30,000, the option for AWD, and fast charging capability, the Equinox EV lands on the market as Chevy's best attempt at taking its own piece of the affordable electric crossover market. The Equinox EV is on the smaller side, though it provides enough cargo capacity and space for a small family and enough electric range to make it useable for most of the general population. 

  Engine:

  Single Motor | Dual Motor

  Power Output

  210-290 Horsepower

  Torque

  242-346 Pound-Feet

  Range

  250-280 miles

  Transmission

  Direct Drive

  Driveline

  FWD | AWD

  MSRP

  $30,000 (est)

  Charge Time

  35 Minutes @ 150 kW

  Towing Capacity

  1,500 pounds

  0-60 MPH

  3.5-6.0 Seconds

  Pros

  • Built on GM's Ultium modular platform
  • Decent range and performance
  • Stylish appearance
  • Fair cargo capacity for its size

  Cons

  • The Ultium platform would allow for more range
  • Could suffer from GM's typical plastic interior trim
  • Fresh technology that looks dated
  • Exterior design might not be for everyone

Related: Comparison: Chevrolet Bolt EUV vs Chevrolet Equinox EV

Performance Comparison: Volvo EX30 Vs. Chevy Equinox EV

Both of these vehicles offer flexibility in terms of drivetrain but in different ways. The Equinox EV comes standard with a front-wheel drive configuration paired with a single electric motor. All trims of the Equinox EV can also be configured with a dual-motor eAWD drivetrain that offers more power but sacrifices some range in the process. Volvo is also offering two different drivetrain options for the EX30: a rear-wheel drive version with a single motor or an all-wheel drive version with dual motors. Just like the Equinox EV, the all-wheel drive version offers more power but delivers less driving range. This means that both SUVs offer comparable flexibility and limitations in terms of drivetrains,

The Twin-Motor Volvo EX30 Is A Lot More Powerful Than The Chevy Equinox EV

Both of these vehicles are classified as 'affordable' electric SUVs, so you shouldn't expect them to deliver mind-blowing amounts of power. The Equinox EV is offered in two different powertrains: a front-wheel drive version powered by a single electric motor delivering 210 horsepower and a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system that delivers 290 horsepower. The base version of the Volvo EX30, on the other hand, delivers 268 horsepower thanks to its single electric motor, and if you opt for the Twin Motor version, you'll have 422 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque at your disposal. This means that the Volvo EX30 easily beats the Equinox EV in terms of power delivered.

The Volvo EX30 Offers Better Performance

Electric vehicles have changed the game when it comes to performance in mass-market cars thanks to the instant power delivery from electric motors. This means that even though the Volvo EX30 is an affordable SUV, it can rocket from 0-60 mph in just 3.4 seconds if you get one with dual motors. This means that not only is the EX30 the cheapest and smallest electric SUV by Volvo, but it is also the fastest. The Equinox EV is a lot less powerful than the Twin Motor EX30, and the most powerful version of the Equinox EV can go from 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds. Whether you actually need a family SUV that can accelerate that quickly, that's up to you to decide.

Performance Specifications

Related: Why The Chevy Equinox EV Is The Perfect First EV

All-Electric Range And Charging Speed

When it comes to range and charging, there's an unspoken standard. In a survey ran by Bloomberg, some 3600 out of 5,500 people claimed they wanted at least 300 miles of range to feel comfortable driving an electric vehicle. At the same time, it's easy to point out that the time it takes to charge a vehicle is a drawback when compared to the five minutes it takes to refuel a traditional ICE-powered vehicle. Fortunately, usable range for most EVs on the market today is getting better, and charging is getting fast enough that it's not really an issue. When it comes to the Chevy Equinox EV and Volvo EX30, the range isn't the greatest, with both falling short of that magical 300-mile number, but both are capable of fast-charging from 10-80 percent in the time it takes you to buy snacks and stretch your legs.

The Chevy Equinox EV Offers More Range

Range is quite possibly the most important figure on the spec sheet of an electric car and the battle between the Volvo EX30 and Chevy Equinox EV is a closely-fought one. The base version of the Equinox EV offers 250 miles of range on a single charge while opting for one of the higher trims gets you 300 miles of range. If you get the eAWD version of one of the higher trims, though, you will get 280 miles of range. Things are a little less complicated with the Volvo EX30, though. The less-powerful, rear-wheel drive version offers 275 miles of range while the dual-motor, all-wheel drive versions provide 265 miles of range on a single charge. The Equinox EV edges out the Volvo EX30 in terms of the maximum range offered, but it comes at the cost of a lot of power.

Both Vehicles Offer Almost The Same Charging Speed

Charging times can make or break an electric vehicle and depends on both battery capacity and charging speed. The Equinox EV is offered in two different battery capacities: a 60-kWh one and a beefier 80-kWh one. All versions of the Volvo EX30 are powered by the same 64-kWh battery pack. The Equinox EV comes with support for 150-kW DC fast charging that can add 70 miles of range in just 10 minutes of charging. The Volvo EX30 also supports DC fast charging, but it is rated higher at 185 kW. Volvo claims that charging at this speed can replenish the battery from 10 to 80 percent in under half an hour. Both vehicles offer similar amounts of battery capacity and charging speed, so their real-life charging times should be comparable as well.

Range And Charging Specifications

Related: The Volvo EX30 Is The Best Electric Crossover You Can Buy!

Interior Design And Technology

Electric vehicles are naturally heavy in the tech department under the skin, and the same can be said for the interior of most. Brands like Tesla maintain that minimalist approach, while others jam as many screens, cameras, and other tech as they possibly can into the interior. The Chevy Equinox EV leans more toward the latter, while Volvo has taken more of a Tesla approach with one massive tablet-like display. The interior experience for both models, especially in the price range, is great, but deciding between the two may come down to asking yourself how much tech you want to have in the cabin.

The Equinox EV Has A Much More Traditional Interior

Big screens are becoming a staple of electric vehicles, and both these vehicles have plenty of them. Volvo has opted for a Tesla-like approach with a single vertical screen in the middle of the dashboard controlling most features of the car, but it has still kept some physical knobs and buttons. Chevy has equipped the Equinox EV with two screens, but the size of the infotainment screen is variable. All versions of the Equinox EV come with an 11-inch digital instrument cluster and the base version comes with an 11-inch infotainment system. Upgrading to one of the higher trims gets you a massive 17.7-inch central touchscreen. Overall, the Equinox EV adopts a much less minimalist interior compared to the EX30.

The Equinox EV Offers More Interior Room And Cargo Space

Having ample cargo space is one of the most attractive features of an SUV and unfortunately for the Volvo EX30, one of its weakest points. It offers only 11.2 cubic feet of storage behind the rear seats with an extra 2.15 cubic feet of hidden storage. If you fold the rear seats, you can increase the available cargo space to 31.9 cubic feet. The Equinox EV has a much larger cargo area and offers 29.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up. Folding them down gets you 59.7 cubic feet of space, almost double what the Volvo EX30 offers. While the EX30 does offer a frunk that the Equinox EV doesn't, the available space isn't remarkable.

In terms of passenger space, Chevy hasn't revealed the exact interior dimensions of the Equinox EV yet, but we can expect the head and legroom to be similar to the Chevy Blazer EV. Volvo has already released the numbers for the EX30, though, and it offers 41.6 inches of front headroom, 38.2 inches of rear headroom, 41.4 inches of front legroom, and just 32.2 inches of rear legroom.

Cargo Space Comparison

Exterior Dimensions

Related: Comparison: Volvo EX30 vs Tesla Model Y

Safety And Reliability

As of the time of this writing, neither the Chevy Equinox EV nor the Volvo EX30 are on sale or have been tested by the IIHS or NHTSA. As such, there is no current safety rating information available at this time. It is worth noting that the non-electric 2023 Chevy Equinox has received a fairly good rating from the IIHS, though it did receive a poor rating for the updated front overlap test and a marginal rating for the updated side impact text. It also received a poor rating for headlights. We suspect te Equinox EV to address these concerns by the time it launches.

As for the Volvo EX30, there are no existing models that are actually related, though it's worth noting that Volvos are note for being very safe with the following models receiving a Top Safety Pick + award in 2022:

• 2022 Volvo S60 sedan
• 2022 Volvo S60 Recharge sedan
• 2022 Volvo V60 Cross Country wagon
• 2022 Volvo V60 Recharge wagon
• 2022-2023 Volvo S90 sedan
• 2022-23 Volvo S90 Recharge sedan
• 2022-2023 Volvo V90 Cross Country wagon
• 2022-2023 Volvo C40 Recharge SUV
• 2022 Volvo XC40 SUV
• Volvo XC40 Recharge SUV
• Volvo XC60 SUV
• Volvo XC60 Recharge SUV
• Volvo XC90 SUV
• Volvo XC90 Recharge SUV

Chevy Equinox EV Safety

Specific safety information for the 2024 Chevy Equinox EV will be added here as it becomes available.

Volvo EX30 Safety

Specific safety information for the Volvo EX30 will be added here as it becomes available.

Reliability Comparison

Specific reliability information for both models will be added here as it becomes available.

Related: Chevrolet Equinox EV vs Blazer EV: Which One Should You Buy?

Pricing And Availability

Now for the all-important question: which one is cheaper? The answer is not as simple as you would think right now. The Chevy Equinox EV is set to go on sale by the end of 2023, and the cheapest trim is set to cost around $30,000, but it won't be available until 2024 and the final price hasn't been revealed yet. The only version that will be available initially is the 2RS version which is set to cost around $40,000. The Volvo EX30 is set to join the market sometime in 2024, and Volvo has only released the pricing for the base version which will start at $34,950. It does offer more power and a superior range than the base version of the Equinox EV, so it might turn out to be a better deal if you value performance more than cargo and interior space.

Price Comparison