The Chevy Blazer is a name plate that has worn many guises over the years. From its humble beginnings as the K5 Blazer short-wheelbase truck to the mid-size crossover you see out on the streets today. Now, it’s about to undergo another evolution to become a $45,000 electric SUV that packs up to 557 hp and a 320-mile range.
Clearly, Chevrolet has been looking longingly at Ford’s success with the Mustang Mach-E and decided it wants a slice of the electric SUV pie.
From the outside, the Blazer will be a familiar sight for most of us, as GM CEO Mary Barra shared a shot of the new EV on Twitter earlier this year. But now that we’ve got a few more angles to enjoy, I think it looks pretty neat.
The side profile is probably the car’s best view. There are some nice flowing lines along the body and the way the tail lights creep along the side is nifty. Up front, there’s a long, thin lightbar all the way across that echoes the Equinox and Silverado EVs that will arrive next year.
But it’s what’s under the hood here, or rather what isn’t, that is the interesting thing about this car.
The new Blazer EV is built on GM’s Ultium Platform and comes in four different trim levels. The base 1LT offers an estimated 247-mile range and is front-wheel-drive only. All- and front-wheel drives are optional on the 2LT and RS models, which come with 293 and 320 miles of range respectively.
Finally, Chevrolet has added the SS badge to its top-tier Blazer EV, which it says will pack in up to 557 hp, 648 lb-ft of torque and a zero to 60 time of under four seconds. It’ll also manage 290 miles of all-electric range and comes exclusively with four-wheel-drive.
Scott Bell, vice president of Chevrolet, said: “The Blazer EV SS has the soul of a true sports car.
“And while it represents the pinnacle of performance for Chevy’s EV lineup, all models offer stirring capabilities that will surprise and delight true performance devotees.”
While the four models vary on range and performance, they all share the same 11.5 kW level two charging capabilities, and come with standard DC public fast-charging of up to 190 kW. This, Chevrolet says, means you can add up to 78 miles of range in approximately 10 minutes.
Inside, Chevrolet has piled in the tech to try and make consumers’ switch to EVs “seamless,” the brand says.
That means there’s no start button. Instead, hands-free start means you just press the brake pedal once the door is closed and your Blazer is ready to run.
The new EV also comes with a power-opening charge port door, regenerative braking to top your battery level up and one-pedal driving. You can also spec your Blazer EV to include a hands-free liftgate and GM’s hands-free driving software, Super Cruise.
GM says the Blazer and all this tech will be ready to hit showrooms next summer. Initially, it will offer the 2LT and RS models, priced from $47,595 and $51,995 respectively.
The SS will follow later in 2023 and the 1LT will be available from the beginning of 2024. The SS will start at $65,995 and the 1LT will be priced starting around $44,995.