Chevrolet Blazer EV revealed
GM’s all-new electric crossover to be offered in front-drive, RWD and AWD form – and as a flagship SSThe 2023 Chevrolet Blazer EV has been revealed ahead of its US showroom arrival in the middle of next year, and it boasts a world electric car first: it will be offered with the choice of front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive configurations.
Teased last month in sporty Blazer EV SS guise, parent company General Motors has now revealed the Blazer EV line-up incorporating basic 1LT and 2LT models as well as sportier RS and SS variants, the latter to form the basis of a PPV (Police Pursuit Vehicle) in 2024.
Chevrolet has started taking $US100 deposits for the crossover SUV that is priced from $US44,995 and is set to compete with the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E.
While it shares its name with the long-running mid-sized Blazer that is available with petrol engines, the EV version is a very different beast.
It rides on GM’s Ultium electric car architecture that also underpins the Chevrolet Silverado EV, Chevrolet Equinox EV and Hummer EV and is the cornerstone of the American auto giant’s push into electric vehicles.
It’s a push that will soon see a Corvette EV and most of the Chevrolet line-up go all-electric by 2035.
The Blazer EV has a 231mm-longer wheelbase than its ICE stablemates and doesn’t share any body panels. There are also more pronounced curves and a more aggressive stance.
Its interior has also been optimised for occupant space and leverages the flat floor of the Ultium platform.
“There’s true SUV functionality, but inside and out, it has the sort of passionate proportions and feel that make you want to slide behind the wheel and explore what’s beyond the horizon,” said Phil Zak, executive director of Chevrolet Design.
“It’s a vehicle that looks great from every angle and beckons you to drive.”
Indeed, it’s driving that is a core focus with the Blazer, which GM says has been designed to appeal not just to private buyers but also a broad range of fleets, including police departments.
The Blazer EV 1LT model will drive only the front wheels using a single electric motor and have a smaller battery pack giving it about 397km of EV range.
The better-equipped 2LT adds the option of a rear motor to create an all-wheel drive system. It also gets a larger battery for 471km of range with the single-motor set-up (expect less as a dual-motor AWD).
The RS model gets 21-inch wheels, a black lower grille and a pronounced strip across its upper grille and will be offered with the choice of single-motor front-wheel drive, single-motor rear-wheel drive and dual-motor all-wheel drive configurations.
GM claims the RWD version of the RS will have the longest range of about 515km.
The fastest and most performance-focused of the Blazer EVs is the SS (or Super Sport) version, a model that conjures memories of the once-loved Holden Commodore SS (which made its performance with V8 engines).
The Blazer SS exclusively uses the dual-motor set-up to make 415kW and 879Nm and provide 477km of range.
It also employs the Wide Open Watts (WOW) power boost mode, which sounds similar to the Watts to Freedom mode available on the Hummer EV. When activated it’s claimed to accelerate the sleek crossover to 60mph (96km/h) in less than four seconds.
The Blazer SS also gets 22-inch wheels and a more aggressive styling treatment, including revised grilles with more air intakes, presumably to assist with cooling.
“The Blazer EV SS has the soul of a true sports car,” said Scott Bell, vice-president of Chevrolet. “And while it represents the pinnacle of performance for Chevy’s EV line-up, all models offer stirring capabilities that will surprise and delight true performance devotees.”
There’s also a healthy dose of tech in the Blazer EV.
All models get a 17.7-inch central touch-screen incorporating Ultifi over-the-air software updates.
There’s also an 11-inch digital instrument cluster.
The big question is whether the Blazer EV could ever come to Australia, but don’t hold your breath.
Following the shutdown of GM’s Australian brand Holden early in 2021, the only GM models sold here have been the Chevrolet Silverado large pick-up truck.
But through its local GMSV (General Motors Specialty Vehicles) division the company is believed to be looking to expand its offerings and potentially incorporate some EV offerings for Australia.
However, GMSV has told carsales the Blazer won’t be coming to Australia.
But there will likely be other EV-powered GM vehicles here in future.
Luxury brand Cadillac – which is planning only EV models by 2030 – is an obvious choice for Australia. The brand tried to launch here in 2009 but the plans were cancelled at the eleventh hour as GM entered bankruptcy in the US.
The Silverado EV would also seem a logical choice given the increasing popularity of large utes and electric cars.
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