GM has provided A few electric vehicles in the past couple of years: the GMC Hummer SUV and its accompanying pickup truck, the Cadillac Lyriq and the Silverado EV pickup truck. But so far, none have had the success of the smaller, cheaper Chevy Bolt, a wedge-shaped all-electric hatchback that debuted nearly eight years ago.
To say that the pressure is on for GM and the new Chevrolet Blazer EV — a vehicle designed to satiate Americans’ never-ending appetite for SUVs — is a bit of an understatement. The weight of GM’s all-electric success doesn’t rest on all-electric midsize SUVs; Sharing this burden are the upcoming Chevrolet Equinox EV, GMC Sierra pickup, and Cadillac Escalade iQ, all of which are expected to debut in 2024.
However, the Chevrolet Blazer EV is a crucial test of GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra’s Ultium platform, the new electric architecture and accompanying Ultifi software first unveiled in 2020 that is the foundation of the automaker’s electric vehicle plans.
TechCrunch recently headed to San Diego to test the Chevrolet Blazer EV. The result? The Chevy Blazer EV hits a lot of the right notes from its exterior design and interior touches to its infotainment system’s user interface and well-planted drivetrain. There are no major faults either, although some might put the elimination of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in this camp. Fortunately, Chevy has designed and produced a completely normal SUV, which is a welcome relief from the slew of new electric vehicles that have hit the market in recent years.
The big mistake is the higher than expected price. While Chevrolet said its cheapest version, the front-wheel-drive LT, will be priced under $50,000, with other versions starting at $56,715, $60,215 and $61,790, the most expensive SS model has not yet been announced.
That price range leaves me with this statement: For all its triumphs, the Blazer EV, which aims to be a mass seller, is simply too expensive for what it offers.
Nuts and bolts
Image credits: GM
First, the specifications. The Chevy Blazer EV will be offered in three models: LT, RS, and Performance SS. The all-wheel drive Chevy Blazer EV RS is already in production at GM’s plant in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico. The rear-wheel drive LT and RS all-wheel drive versions are expected to go into production in the “coming weeks” with other versions to follow later in the year, according to the company.
If this sounds like a lot of options, you’re right. Chevrolet offers a lot of options. Not only do buyers have three models to choose from – Luxury (LT), Rally Sport (RS) and Super Sport (SS) – there are also two different 400-volt battery sizes and a choice between front, rear and all-wheel drive. Driving options.
The big unanswered question is whether this will excite or confuse consumers?
Chevrolet has framed its impressive number of configurations as a competitive advantage that consumers will respond to, unlike Tesla, which has taken the lead in electric vehicle sales with a “less is more” business model. From the outside, it can be explained that Chevrolet offers all these options because it’s not clear what consumers actually want. If so, I expect these choices to become more limited in the future as Chevrolet navigates what consumers buy.
The press blitz in San Diego put reporters behind the wheel of rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions of the Chevy Blazer EV RS.
The RWD RS equipped with the 102-kilowatt-hour battery pack has an EPA-certified range of 324 miles and the powertrain delivers 340 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. The RWD version, which has more pep in its step and longer range, starts at $61,790. Pricing for the RS AWD starts at $60,215.
A quick word about the all-wheel drive powertrain, which is specifically labeled eAWD. In this powertrain there is a 241 hp permanent magnet synchronous motor that powers the front wheels and a 90 hp induction motor at the rear axle. This rear motor doesn’t work all the time. Instead, customers should think of this as an auxiliary motor that steps in if the roads are slippery or when the accelerator is depressed.
Chevy Blazer EV: Like love and hate![Chevy Blazer EV RS - side view](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Image credits: Kirsten Korosek
Chevrolet, or like its parent General Motors, made a strategic decision about this midsize SUV when it decided to badge it the Blazer. After all, the gas-powered Blazer lineup is still very much there and will share the same dealer floor space. However, the name is where the similarities end, except perhaps for having almost identical lengths.
Everything diverges from there. The Blazer EV has a longer wheelbase at 121.8 inches — nearly 10 inches longer than the ICE version — and it’s wider, too. These specifications combined with a low roofline and sporty stance give the Chevy Blazer EV a sleeker look than its gas-powered cousin.
There’s a lot to like, even love, about the Chevy Blazer EV. I hate? Maybe one or two items made my list.
Opinions on the outside are likely to differ. Here at TechCrunch, it’s safe to say that some people hate it. But you have to give GM credit for giving the Chevy Blazer EV personality with some standout exterior features that keep it from looking like another monolithic nugget shaped like a vitamin E pill. The car is available in eight colors with “Radiant Red Metallic” and “Gray Gray Metallic” Galaxy” as options that better highlight the curves and edges of the Blazer EV.
Notably, the automaker does this without making the Blazer EV look like a new car. This bold and silly vibe continues in the cabin – which is where the car really shines with a few exceptions.
Chevrolet makes the most of the Blazer EV’s wide stance, a decision that leaves the driver and passengers plenty of room; Including 59.8 cubic feet of rear cargo space. This feeling of spaciousness and spaciousness extends to the seats themselves. Although the seats weren’t the most comfortable ever, they were clearly designed to fit a range of sizes and shapes.
![Chevy Blazer EV Interior](https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/chevy-blazer-ev-interior.jpg)
Image credits: GM
Once inside the Blazer EV, customers won’t be able to miss the large 17.7-inch central touchscreen and 11-inch instrument cluster located directly behind the steering wheel. A car with a large touch screen does not mean that the software is functional or easy to use. Fortunately, the Blazer EV, the first Chevy with the Ultifi software platform, gets most of the job done.
Let’s start with user experience or user experience. The Chevrolet Blazer EV has an array of physical knobs and buttons as well as a large touchscreen. Chevy strikes a balance between these options and there’s plenty of overlap for those who just want to use the touchscreen to operate the HVAC system and other features.
My favorite features: a large physical knob attached to the touchscreen (somewhat reminiscent of the one on the Ford Mustang Mach-E) and icons on the far left of the screen that act as shortcuts to one-pedal driving. There are actually two of these shortcut icons grouped together, but the one-pedal driving icon is the most useful of all.
Many, most recently Ford CEO Jim Farley, took down General Motors for abandoning Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which displays the user’s phone on the center screen. My experience behind the wheel and in the passenger seat has made me less cautious than before.
The Chevy Blazer EV is equipped with Google Integrated, which runs the Android Automotive operating system and integrates Google services including Google Maps and Google Assistant directly into the vehicle. Google Play Store, YouTube, and third-party apps like Spotify are also available. This translates into fairly smooth operations for the user and a much better experience than many other wonky infotainment systems offer. Although it should be noted that at the beginning of my drive I had to turn off the vehicles due to a software bug that did not allow access to any of these features. This should be fixed with a software update and hopefully it won’t be a long-term issue.
As for those faults: operating the stock shift to neutral, drive and reverse is weird, and the “sport” mode isn’t exactly sporty. DrDespite less extra oomph off the line, there doesn’t seem to be any difference from the regular drive option called “Tour.” The Chevy Blazer EV RS doesn’t have an active or controlled suspension, which means switching between modes doesn’t change the ride feel. Steering feedback was also less inspiring in the RS.
That may seem a bit picky considering all of the car’s wins. But for any vehicle priced over $60,000, expectations should be high.