Dealerships are apparently desperate to get the Chevy Equinox off their lots. The 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV was released with a base price of $36,795. However, the car community has noticed that dealerships across the United States have drastically reduced the price of the new model. In fact, there are currently around 200 new Equinox models listed for under $25,000 on Cars.com, with dealerships across 16 states slashing prices. The cheapest one is listed for $19,995.
If that’s not enough for you to buy an Equinox, GM itself is also taking another $10,000 off (if you get the RS trim). GM is giving buyers $8,750 in customer cash and an additional $1,250 in conquest cash.
All of these discounts have made the 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV a massive steal for those that want a small, reliable SUV. And the weird thing is, many people do. In 2025, the Equinox was the top-selling non-Tesla electric vehicle in the United States with just under 58,000 units sold. So… Why is everyone so desperate to get the Equinox outta here?
What went wrong with the Chevrolet Equinox EV?
There is nothing wrong with the Chevrolet Equinox EV. It has its flaws, like any vehicle, but you’ll find plenty of forums praising the Equinox all over the internet. There’s nothing bad enough about the Equinox to warrant $10,000-plus off, I’ll say. So, again, what’s going on?
Well, it appears to be part of General Motor’s big pivot to plug-in hybrids, with the carmaker pulling back from its previous EV plans. GM previously had plans with various companies to increase its EV production due to projected demand in the United States. However, GM recently wrote off $6 billion in EV investments, including $4.2 billion in settlements with suppliers, when it decided to scale back on EVs after that demand didn’t fully materialize.
As part of the drastic pivot, GM laid off 1,200 workers. The massive layoff hit its plant in Oshawa up in Canada, cutting the early morning shift entirely. Back in October 2025, spokesperson Ariana Souza Pereira said that General Motors was cutting back as it continued preparing “to build the next generation of gas-powered full-size pickups.”
Yes, the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra are going to be a big focus after some down time. Which is, well, the opposite of the Equinox.
Indeed, GM stated in January that it expects to see a big turnaround in 2026 as it switches to gas-powered trucks and SUVs after a $3.3 billion net loss in late 2025 in EV investments. Said CEO Mary Barra: “We are also operating in a U.S. regulatory and policy environment that is increasingly aligned with customer demand. This allows us to onshore more production to help meet strong demand for our ICE vehicles.”
With this change, GM expects a full-year net income between $10.3 billion and $11.7 billion. But General Motors isn’t switching fully to big, gas-guzzling trucks. It will continue with cheap EVs like the Equinox, which has a 2027 model on the way.
“We’ll continue executing our plan to dramatically reduce costs and to be well-positioned for the future,” Barra said. “This will require continued investment, but at much lower levels.”
It may seem drastic, but it’s not out of the ordinary for a carmaker to make a big strategy change like this. With the United States’ continuously changing regulations and tariffs, automakers are often scrambling to combat massive revenue losses in creative ways, from removing some luxury details to bringing back diesel.
Meanwhile, China is continuing to innovate and change the electric vehicle market, and not many automakers can compete with these new features when paired with their extremely low costs. It looks like GM was too slow to that market and is done struggling to keep up. Let China have the EVs, General Motors will be bringing American power and ignorance.
Technical Specs
| Engine Displacement | 85 kWh battery |
|---|---|
| Power (hp) | 210-300 |
| Torque (lb-ft) | 242-355 |
| 0–62 mph | 5.9 |
| Top Speed | 112 |
| Curb Weight | 4,900-5,000 |
|---|
| EV Range (miles) | 307-319 |
|---|
| Starting MSRP | $36,795 |
|---|
