What is your biggest Concern w/ Equinox EV?

2669 Views 74 Replies 20 Participants Last post by EVolution, 11 d ago

Evan1

Discussion Starter · 1 mo ago (Edited)

See Poll.

See less See more

Reactions: 1

21 - 40 of 75 Posts

Steverino

· #21 · 29 d ago

MaybeFutureBuyer said:
I keep my cars for a loooooong time (10+ years), so battery failure is a slight worry for me, but degradation isn't (I drive 3-4Kkm a year... 2-3K miles)

If the Volt is a guide, degradation is more calendar-based than miles driven.

Lance Boyle said:
but there are only so many available "memberships in the EV club" before our grid, charging stations and landfills can't handle it.

Microsoft has a contract to buy fusion power in 2027, the DOE is heavily promoting advanced small light water reactors, solar and turbine installation are growing rapidly. The electric distribution infrastructure seems to be the bigger issue than "where will the power come from".

Yes, battery recycling needs to be ramped up, but "dead" car batteries have second lives as battery storage systems for solar, wind. Lot's of life let in them after they can't cut it for car use.

Reactions: 1

Lance Boyle

· #22 · 29 d ago

Steverino said:
Microsoft has a contract to buy fusion power in 2027, the DOE is heavily promoting advanced small light water reactors, solar and turbine installation are growing rapidly.

Hahaha. Degrowth is the plan and insects are on the menu. EU is shutting down 3,000 farms. There's something to be said for being 69 years old and probably gone by the time that Bill Gates has his way with us.

Andre YUL

· #23 · 29 d ago

hellsop said:
I'd believe the first part, but the second is a complete ass-pull fact. We're barely able to guess at production numbers for 3 months from now; three years isn't even educated guesses.

It may be a guess or may be invented. A salesperson has a vested interest in discouraging me from waiting for a model with an unknown ETA and trying to convince me to order an ICE car he can get a commission on sooner...

There are however projections of the maximum number of cars that would be churned out for each model if there is full production and no unforseen QC issues. It is responsible for a manufacturer to stop taking deposits if the best case scenario delivery is too far in the future.

Andre YUL

· #24 · 29 d ago (Edited)

HVACman said:
If you keep your vehicles for long times, and considering a new ICE vehicle, you should also consider the long term availability and cost of gasoline. Setting aside the climate aspects, Mother Earth is not making more fossil fuel and we continue to deplete the remaining reserves at a record pace. EVs and renewable electric energy sources may be a more reliable long-term option.

You make some valid points and our family is making the same choice: as of now, no new ICE cars for us.

I won't be overly critical of those that decide otherwise. If @MaybeFutureBuyer chooses to buy an ICE car, the EV he might otherwise have chosen will be sold to someone else. Until the price of EVs go down, the charging infrastructure improves and the manufacturing capacity increases, I'm afraid our society will keep burning dinosaur juice...

Chip

· #25 · 29 d ago (Edited)

After thinking about "my" primary concern it would have to be to see if GM can manage to get the 12 volt (re) / charging protocol right. This one issue seems to be a major stumbling point to many new EV's. Carrying around a 12 volt jump box in the trunk to energise the car's flat 12 volt is neither a good look, nor something that a car @ this price point should have its owner concerned about.

Evan1

Discussion Starter · #26 · 29 d ago

TKEV said:
For me the biggest concern is storage space and headroom. I am really worried about the latter.

The Blazer EV is an option?

Mapleev

· #27 · 29 d ago

One of the little intangibles for me are the wheels. I want the 3LT but not the 21 inch wheels. I guess my real concern might be price as well. It will impact what model I get and if they are real high what vehicle I get. I am also still a little concerned about the loss of the Apple Car Play and what are the actual implications of it.

MaybeFutureBuyer

· #28 · 29 d ago

HVACman said:
If you keep your vehicles for long times, and considering a new ICE vehicle, you should also consider the long term availability and cost of gasoline. Setting aside the climate aspects, Mother Earth is not making more fossil fuel and we continue to deplete the remaining reserves at a record pace. EVs and renewable electric energy sources may be a more reliable long-term option.

And 5-10 years from now, do you think CP/AA will still be a factor? Technology rapidly shift-shapes. The popularity of any hardware or software system follows a bell curve, with steep shoulders. If 80% of all new vehicles now include CP/AA in 2023, could CP/AA be right at their bell’s’ peak? Forward thinking OEMs likely see that curve and are planning accordingly.

Well, it has been said about fossil fuel for at least 30 years now, and it went up and down in price for as long as it existed. A new battery will probably cost me as much as 10 years worth of fuel. Lithium\Cobalt \etc are also finite, and while they might be more easily recyclable in the future, today they cost more to recycle than to make a new battery.

If I'll play the "what if" game, I can say that not only about fossil fuel\AA\ACP, but also about EVs. Maybe 3 years from now there will be a technology that beats battery EVs (fusion or whatever).

Because I rarely drive, the price of fuel doesn't matter that much for me. And as of now, I want Android Auto, and I don't want to pay subscription fees to use a car I already paid for. Are you paying to have Android on the phone you bought? Are you paying to access a wash cycle on your washing machine? No. If they think they have something better now, or will have it in the future, they can either let me own it when I buy the car, or have both options, and if theirs is so much better, I'll choose to pay for it.

See less See more

TKEV

· #29 · 29 d ago

Evan1 said:
The Blazer EV is an option?

Not sure how much difference there will be in headroom and I'll have to see how different the prices are. It looks like the Blazer is going to be a lot more expensive.

Reactions: 1

Zoomie61

· #30 · 28 d ago

Andre YUL said:
I'm exaggerating. These models actually exist and aren't technically vapourware.

That said, for the Lyriq, they've indeed built thousands, but how many have actually been delivered? A few hundred? A local Cadillac dealer tells me he's has zero delivered and that an order today is not likely to be filled in less than 3 years! As for the Hummer, I understand they never intended to sell large numbers, but since its launch in late 2021, GM has built less than 1,000!

US: GMC Hummer EV Pickup Truck Sales Almost Stalled In Q1 2023

Customer deliveries of the GMC Hummer EV Pickup almost stalled in Q1 2023, reaching just two units. A year ago it was 99. The company promises an increase.

insideevs.com

A good friend, Alan received his Lyriq a couple of weeks ago. He is really enthusiastic about it and goes on how great it is. So yes, they are getting out to customers.

Reactions: 1

Kabloona

· #31 · 27 d ago

Zoomie61 said:
A good friend, Alan received his Lyriq a couple of weeks ago. He is really enthusiastic about it and goes on how great it is. So yes, they are getting out to customers.

That's good to hear....put an end to the mockery of GM delivering 76 Lyriqs in Q1, or whatever it was....👍

I haven't seen any full reviews of the Caddy yet, but I think Tom Moloughny drove one at a GM event and was suitably impressed....

smallb1980

· #32 · 27 d ago

Kabloona said:
That's good to hear....put an end to the mockery of GM delivering 76 Lyriqs in Q1, or whatever it was....👍

I haven't seen any full reviews of the Caddy yet, but I think Tom Moloughny drove one at a GM event and was suitably impressed....

Agreed so many advertising for these but what is the point of advertising when you can't provide.

Reactions: 1

Kabloona

· #33 · 27 d ago

Oops.....missed this review.....

www.equinoxevforum.com

Cadillac Lyriq EV Review, Test Drive

www.equinoxevforum.com

www.equinoxevforum.com

🤣

hellsop

· #34 · 27 d ago

Chip said:
After thinking about "my" primary concern it would have to be to see if GM can manage to get the 12 volt (re) / charging protocol right. This one issue seems to be a major stumbling point to many new EV's. Carrying around a 12 volt jump box in the trunk to energise the car's flat 12 volt is neither a good look, nor something that a car @ this price point should have its owner concerned about.

I've never had a problem with a flat 12v in an EV. But I've been Well Aware that EVs use 12v batteries very differently than ICE cars do, which means I look for what they DO show and change the battery when the problems show. Usually the first problem people encounter in an ICE car with a weak 12v battery is either slow turnover or misfires due to weak spark in the first couple of seconds after starting. And neither of those conditions obtain with an EV. We do know that batteries age, and a steadily increasing percentage of them will be failing after 4,5,6 years. We've hypothesized over on the Volt forum that the battery's internal resistance measure is the sole objective test that might have some bearing on how functional the battery still is (>1 ohm good, 10 ohms might be causing problems, 70 ohms is junk).

See less See more

Reactions: 1

NoBugsPlease

· #35 · 27 d ago

If you look at recent track records for new vehicles hitting market last year, this year there have a been a ton of recalls. Ford, Hyundai, Tesla, etc. It's as if manufacturers are throwing the dice - for new car roll outs and letting new buyers suffer the consequences during first year ownership. . We're talking transmission issues, electrical issues, theft issues, and more. Just saying if I spend $35,000 on a new vehicle I don't want to spend first year of ownership visiting dealer repair shop several times. I'm not sure if new technology is the problem or if manufacturers are rushing things then saying behind closed doors "buyers can deal with recalls after we we get our money.

Spock logic says to wait a year before buying any new "roll out" vehicle that hits market so consumers can judge vehicle dependability. But sometimes buyers need a new car now versus later. Yea I know some here will say - that's why you have a warranty. And I say a quality built car, truck, EV, hybrid, etc., if built right should have very few, if any car problems during first three to five years of ownership. Like ZERO. Yea - I'm dreaming, since we no longer live in a world that guarantees anything. Short term or long term.

See less See more

Reactions: 1

Steverino

· #36 · 27 d ago

NoBugsPlease said:
Spock logic says to wait a year before buying any new "roll out" vehicle that hits market so consumers can judge vehicle dependability. But sometimes buyers need a new car now versus later. Yea I know some here will say - that's why you have a warranty. And I say a quality built car, truck, EV, hybrid, etc., if built right should have very few, if any car problems during first three to five years of ownership.

Yes, that seems to be a common refrain, NoBugs.

I bought the first year Volt (2011). At year 1 there was a recall to add more steel protection to the battery tunnel to protect against side impacts, and a coolant level sensor was added. At year 2 an oil hose developed a leak. At year 5 the passenger seat heater failed. There were a few software updates along the way. Over 12 years I have spent just under $1500 on maintenance/repairs.

Bought first year Bolt EV (2017). At year 5 the battery was recalled and replaced with a new one that also delivered an extra 30 or more miles, plus a new warranty. Year 6 there is a seat belt tensioner recall. So far Gaven't had any out of pocket expenses, though It's due for a coolant flush.

So my year one model year experiences with Chevy EV's has been excellent. The Volt was the first GM I bought. Based on my experience with that car, I bought a Bolt EV to replace our second car. Based on my experience with both, I'm looking at the Equinox EV.

YMMV

See less See more

Reactions: 2

Chip

· #37 · 27 d ago

hellsop said:
I've never had a problem with a flat 12v in an EV. But I've been Well Aware that EVs use 12v batteries very differently than ICE cars do, which means I look for what they DO show and change the battery when the problems show. Usually the first problem people encounter in an ICE car with a weak 12v battery is either slow turnover or misfires due to weak spark in the first couple of seconds after starting. And neither of those conditions obtain with an EV. We do know that batteries age, and a steadily increasing percentage of them will be failing after 4,5,6 years. We've hypothesized over on the Volt forum that the battery's internal resistance measure is the sole objective test that might have some bearing on how functional the battery still is (>1 ohm good, 10 ohms might be causing problems, 70 ohms is junk).

As I read your reply it seems to me you don't understand that when an EV 12 volt battery is dead the car is dead as well. You don't necessarily get any warning to change the battery before you are left in a "brick" condition. Some early Mach E's suffered this issue, but many more Hyundai Ioniq 5's and Kia EV 6's are now experiencing more than a few number of battery failures that I believe due to a faulty charging protocol. Some are no doubt due to bad batteries, but I suspect that most of those so called bad batteries were caused by not being recharged frequently enough by the car's big battery and allowed to sit in a low voltage condition for too long. This is a sure fire way to kill an otherwise good battery.

hellsop

· #38 · 26 d ago

Chip said:
As I read your reply it seems to me you don't understand that when an EV 12 volt battery is dead the car is dead as well. You don't necessarily get any warning to change the battery before you are left in a "brick" condition. Some early Mach E's suffered this issue, but many more Hyundai Ioniq 5's and Kia EV 6's are now experiencing more than a few number of battery failures that I believe due to a faulty charging protocol. Some are no doubt due to bad batteries, but I suspect that most of those so called bad batteries were caused by not being recharged frequently enough by the car's big battery and allowed to sit in a low voltage condition for too long. This is a sure fire way to kill an otherwise good battery.

I understand all that, but if the 12v is dead in an ICE car, the car is dead too. That's not even new.

What I'm saying is that I've never had a dead 12v on an EV. I've read some about the issues other manufacturers have been having and they're.... ones that are outside what I'd consider normal experiences. Ford had a software failure that broke then "unplugged battery maintenance cycle", but that's not a thing non-EVs even HAVE, so... Hyundai had a problem with third-party status apps keeping their cars "awake" with nagging requests, but that's just an unorthodox kind of vampire drain. The rest of the problems I've seen others talk about are far more NORMAL vampire drains: dash cams, radio rigs, etc being installed suboptimally on unswitched circuits.

And there's a LOT of complaining from people who didn't read their owner manuals and lead how to deal with "bricked car" in the first place. I know how Chevy does it because I read that part: unlock door with key, pop hood, supply 12v* to jump lugs provided for that purpose, turn car on, THEN figure out whether the battery drain is just low or if you've damaged your AGM too much to recover onboard. I do not for a second doubt that it'll be exactly that procedure for the Equinox EV as well, because that process works. (Ford apparently puts their 12v source connection behind a cover on the bumper and a LOT of people miss that one for obvious reasons. Or "insufficiently obviousness" reason if you wanna look at it that way.)

* Is a 12v jump pack inelegant? Sure. Does it beat waiting for AAA or GM Roadside to send someone in a truck around? Also sure.

See less See more

Steverino

· #39 · 26 d ago

Chip said:
As I read your reply it seems to me you don't understand that when an EV 12 volt battery is dead the car is dead as well. You don't necessarily get any warning to change the battery before you are left in a "brick" condition.

I don't know about the Equinox EV, but the Volt definitely warns you...in its own way, Chip.

The common way it "warns" you the 12V is dying is by throwing a half a dozen or so error codes on the driver's info screen. Like everything in the car is failing. Whenever someone posts that, the automatic response is, "how old is your battery?" followed by "probably a good time to change it " . It's ~$190 as a simple D.I.Y. Or take it to the dealer, spend $200 on a diagnosis plus another $150 for a new battery, lol.

Reactions: 1

NoBugsPlease

· #40 · 26 d ago

Steverino said:
I don't know about the Equinox EV, but the Volt definitely warns you...in its own way, Chip.

The common way it "warns" you the 12V is dying is by throwing a half a dozen or so error codes on the driver's info screen. Like everything in the car is failing. Whenever someone posts that, the automatic response is, "how old is your battery?" followed by "probably a good time to change it " . It's ~$190 as a simple D.I.Y. Or take it to the dealer, spend $200 on a diagnosis plus another $150 for a new battery, lol.

Well I will join this conversation and throw out my concerns - which I'm sure many future EV buyers might have. On a lot of smaller boats your motor (Mercury or what ever) can cost half of what the boat is worth. Pay $20,000 for a boat and the motor is worth $10,000 or so. Now with some of these new EV's i"m wondering what' will be the cost to replace EV battery? Could a large EV battery be worth 1/3 of new car value? Do car manufacturers tell you replacement cost when you buy new EV? Then what is the typical warranty for a given EV battery. In the case of Chevy Equinox EV - how long does GM guarantee battery life? And once you exceed the warranty, are you risking things putting say another couple years on battery without replacing? As in stranded some where before AAA tow.

Then I wonder about reselling an EV in excellent shape but say the battery is five, six, seven years old. On an ICE you just tell the buyer go to Pep Boys, Advanced Auto, Napa auto parts, etc., and pick up a new battery if needed. But on an older EV is buyer going to say "not buying because your EV battery is old and will cost me $XXXX", to replace? Or more likely buying but at a lower price because battery warranty has expired and who wants to spend $XXXX a year later if battery dies. Lastly (and sorry if this is so pessimistic) but I've read where insurance carriers are jacking up EV insurance coverage/premiums because if an EV is damaged and it impacts battery, repair costs are going to be really high to repair or replace battery.

Seems to me you save some serious money not buy gasoline when driving an EV but you also run a risk of paying some serious money if you have to replace battery or its damaged in an accident. This also might hold true for some Plug-in hybrids since they have two batteries. The only solution to all the above is to produce batteries at a way lower price which will probably happen five to eight years from now. But until then battery replacement might bite EV buyers in the behind or shall we say in the pocket book

See less See more

21 - 40 of 75 Posts