"My First Week with an Electric Vehicle, the Chevy Equinox: This Was the Experience."

The most fun experience I've had behind the wheel of a car was with the original Tesla Roadster in 2011. At that time, Elon Musk's company was seeking media attention and offered me a test drive. I drove along the I-280, a beautiful almost-empty road, perfect for testing the cars' speed. I was impressed with its acceleration and how easily it handled at high speeds. Although I've had the opportunity to drive other sports cars, the electric essence of the Roadster made it unique, like a highly powerful and aerodynamic golf cart.

Since that moment, my vehicle tests have been scarce, as I am not an auto journalist, and generally, my cars have been gasoline-powered. However, a week before an interview with GM's CEO, Mary Barra, at TechCrunch Disrupt, I had the chance to drive the new Chevy Equinox. The car arrived at my home in San Francisco, and I was surprised by its beauty. My first concern was how to charge it; this had been one of the main obstacles that had prevented me from switching to electric. I found out that I needed an adapter for home and possibly a voltage upgrade, which sounded like an expensive call to an electrician.

I decided that I could charge it at the nearby Shell stations by my gym, so I wasn't too worried at first. When I received the car, it had about 300 miles of range, which gave me time. I took my son to buy a burrito, and to my surprise, the Equinox automatically unlocked as I approached with the key. One interesting thing was that the car also turned on by itself when you sat in the seat, without needing to press any button.

GM has embraced the concept of a "computer on wheels," placing almost all controls on a large touchscreen. Connecting my phone was a bit confusing, but I eventually managed to do it. The navigation experience with Google Maps was significantly better than that of my Toyota, although I couldn't connect Apple CarPlay wirelessly; it seemed that only Google could be used.

As I started driving, I noticed that the Equinox had quite a bit of power and could climb steep hills without any issues. The acceleration on the highway was instantaneous, reminding me again of the Tesla for its responsiveness. However, there were minor design details that I found unintuitive, such as needing to use the screen to turn off the headlights.

When it came time to charge the car, I discovered that it wasn't as simple as I expected. I had to search for the charging port, scan a QR code, and download an app. This contrasted with the quickness of a gas station, although the cost was zero during that week. My charging routine worked well until one morning when the chargers were occupied, and I had trouble connecting the car.

This issue highlighted the reality of relying on partners for crucial functions, which made me reflect on Tesla's strategy of developing its own Supercharger network. GM is moving towards the future with electric technology, but it still produces a significant number of gasoline cars.

Ultimately, while the Equinox showed me that GM is a serious competitor in the electric vehicle market, I also reaffirmed that I am still not ready to make the switch to an EV. Sometimes, I just want to drive without complications and enjoy the journey.