After pushing hard toward an all-electric future, General Motors announced that it would step back a bit and expand its efforts to include more hybrid and plug-in hybrid options. The automaker’s recent exhibit at the Beijing Auto Show gives us a look at how that effort might take shape, as it revealed a new Chevrolet Equinox Plus, a plug-in hybrid SUV for the Chinese market that could show up in some form on our shores.
Though we’re calling this a GM effort, the company notes it’s a product of the SAIC-GM partnership. Its turbocharged 1.5-liter engine delivers 177 horsepower, and it’s backed by a 188-horse electric motor for a quoted combined output of around 365 horsepower (272kW). The 0-100 kph (62 mph) time comes in at just under seven seconds, and the range-topping Activ variant offers a 155km (96-mile) all-electric driving range on the Chinese CLTC test loop. It sports a 24.4-kWh battery pack, while cheaper configurations get a 16.5-kWh unit and 102km (63 miles) of range. On the EPA test cycle, these numbers would likely be lower. The Activ trim also gets a vehicle-to-load function that lets it function as a temporary generator or power external devices.
While plug-in hybrid sales comprise just a fraction of EV sales in the U.S., they saw their best year ever in 2023. That growth could accelerate in 2024 as more automakers soften plans to push forward expensive new EVs. They’re also a solid alternative to battery-only models, offering a buffer between owners and the sometimes lacking charging infrastructure across the country.
The new Equinox Plus has only just gone on sale in China, and GM hasn’t said anything official about the Plus coming to the U.S.. But it does appear to use the same body and chassis as the recently redesigned gas-only Equinox that’s coming to America. So it would seem like it would be relatively easy and affordable to add the powertrain to the U.S. version. Considering all that, along with GM’s stated plans about offering more hybrids, plus increasing hybrid sales, it would seem quite likely that the company would bring it Stateside.
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