New petition calls for GM to stand by $30K Chevy Equinox EV starting price
A new petition calls for General Motors to stand by its promise of launching the Chevy Equinox EV with a starting price of “around $30,000.”
Calls for GM to keep Equinox EV price around $30K
GM is touting its strategy of building “EVs for everyone” with SUVs, trucks, sedans, luxury cars, and more, but who is included in everyone?
The American automaker currently sells one electric vehicle priced below $56,715 – the Chevy Bolt. The Bolt EV and EUV start at $26,500 and $27,800, respectively, but these models are being discontinued.
GM’s CEO Mary Barra revealed the company was planning to end Chevy Bolt EV production at the end of the year to focus on scaling its Ultium-based models.
Although a successor has been confirmed, GM has yet to reveal a timeline for when you can expect it to hit the market.
More recently, GM’s latest electric SUV, the Blazer EV, began rolling off the assembly line, with customer deliveries starting soon.
Although the Blazer EV was initially expected to launch with an entry-level 1LT trim for around $45K, GM abandoned the cheaper model.
After order requests opened last week, the 2024 Blazer EV models available include the 2LT AWD (MSRP: $56,715) and the RS AWD (MSRP: $60,215).
To ensure that doesn’t happen with the upcoming Equinox EV, the Electric Vehicle Association has created a petition to hold GM accountable by urging them to stand by its starting price of “around $30,000” for the 1LT model.
The organization educates and advocates for the adoption of zero-emission EVs. But, to ensure everyone has access, affordable models will play a key role. GM knows this, with Bolt EV sales accounting for nearly 90% of GM’s all-electric sales in the second quarter.
GM’s upcoming Chevy Equinox EV was spotted rolling off the assembly line at the company’s Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico, with availability expected this fall.
Electrek’s Take
GM has been careful thus far in saying the Equinox EV will launch with an estimated starting price of “around $30,000.” The automaker has never actually committed to a $30,000 final price.
By doing so, the automaker is giving itself some leeway. We could easily see the Equinox EV start at around $33K to $35K. Furthermore, this is the estimated price for the 1LT trim, which was already discontinued in the Blazer EV.
We will find out soon how GM plans to approach pricing for its upcoming Equinox EV, with availability expected to begin this fall. The full lineup will be available starting next spring.
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Electricity demand is surging in Texas, and solar, wind, and battery storage are meeting it.
According to new data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), electricity demand across the Texas grid managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) hit record highs in the first nine months of 2025. ERCOT, which supplies power to about 90% of the state, saw demand jump 5% year-over-year to 372 terawatt hours (TWh) – a 23% increase since 2021. No other major US grid has grown faster over the past year.
Solar and wind keep ERCOT’s grid steady
The biggest growth story in Texas power generation is solar. Utility-scale solar plants produced 45 TWh from January through September, up 50% from 2024 and nearly four times what they generated in 2021 (11 TWh). Wind power also continued to climb, producing 87 TWh through September – a 4% increase from last year and 36% more than in 2021.
Together, wind and solar supplied 36% of ERCOT’s total electricity over those nine months. Solar, in particular, has transformed Texas’s daytime energy mix. From June to September, ERCOT solar farms generated an average of 24 gigawatts (GW) between noon and 1 pm – double the midday output from 2023. That growth has pushed down natural gas use at midday from 50% of the mix in 2023 to 37% this year.
Battery storage is filling in the gaps
Batteries charge during the day when wind and solar generation are the highest, and they produce electricity when generation from wind and solar slows down. ERCOT began reporting battery output separately in October 2024 in its hourly grid data, and it’s clear that batteries are now helping to smooth out evening peaks. This past summer, batteries supplied an average of 4 GW of power around 8 pm, right as solar production dropped off.
Natural gas is flatlining
Natural gas is still Texas’s dominant power source, but it isn’t growing like it used to. Between January and September, gas-fired plants generated 158 TWh of electricity, compared to 161 TWh in 2023. Gas comprised 43% of ERCOT’s generation mix during the first nine months of 2025, down from 47% in the first nine months of 2023 and 2024.
More demand growth ahead
The EIA expects Texas electricity demand to keep rising faster than any other grid in the US. In its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, the EIA projects ERCOT’s demand will climb another 14% in the first nine months of 2026, reaching 425 TWh. That means Texas will need even more solar, wind, and battery storage to keep up with its breakneck growth.
Read more: This $900 million solar farm in Texas is going 100% to data centers
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GM is recalling nearly 23,000 Chevy Equinox EV and Cadillac Optiq models due to a defect where the tire tread could fall off.
GM is recalling more Chevy Equinox EV models
In a letter sent to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), GM said it has decided to issue a safety recall for certain Chevy Equinox EV and Cadillac Optiq models from model years 2025 to 2026.
This time, it isn’t necessarily GM’s fault. The vehicles may be equipped with 21″ all-season tires that Continental Tire is recalling.
According to Continental, the tires were produced during the week of October 6, 2024, and may have a defect where the tire tread could partially or fully detach. The records show the defect is due to a nonconforming tread base rubber compound.
Owners of affected vehicles may notice unusual tread wear or bulging, vibration while driving, or tire noises. GM is unaware of any incidents related to the defect, but is issuing the recall out of an abundance of caution.
On September 18, 2025, GM inspected the assembly plant and confirmed there were no suspect tires in stock. The 21″ tires come standard on RS trims and are optional on LT1 and LT2 grades.
Although GM is recalling 22,914 Chevy Equinox EVs and Cadillac Optiqs, it estimates that only about 1% of them have the defect.
The recall includes:
- 2026 Cadillac Optiq: 214
- 2026 Chevy Equinox EV: 1,832
- 2025 Cadillac Optiq: 3,468
- 2025 Chevy Equinox EV: 17,400
GM dealers will check all four tires and replace them if needed, free of charge. Dealers were notified on October 16. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed out on December 1, 2025.
You can contact Chevrolet’s customer service number at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac’s at 1-800-333-4223. GM’s recall number is N252525030. Owners can also call the NHTSA hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or visit the nhtsa.gov website for more information.
The Chevy Equinox EV is now the third best-selling EV in the US, trailing only the Tesla Model Y and Model 3. Meanwhile, Cadillac’s entry-level Optiq SUV is the fifth-most-popular luxury EV. The recall is minor and only affects a small percentage of models, so it’s not expected to have a major impact.
If you want to test one of them for yourself, we can help you get started. Check out our links below to find available Chevy Equinox EV and Cadillac Optiq models near you.
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss Tesla’s earnings madness, Rivian layoffs, Ford pausing F-150 Lightning, and more.
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