The Chevy Blazer EV: What We Know About This Mid-Size SUV

The Blazer name is a big one to live up to, but the 2023 Chevy Blazer EV looks like having a good shot at carrying on the tradition in the new electrified, zero-emissions world. While it’s not much like the original boxy off-road K5 Blazer of the Seventies, the Blazer EV closely matches the crossover Blazer first appearing in 2019. The new EV is a mid-price, mid-size SUV larger and pricier than the upcoming Chevrolet Equinox. But it’s also smaller and cheaper than the GMC Hummer EV or the Rivian R1S full-size EV SUV.

Chevrolet and its parent company GM continue their push into electrification with the Blazer EV. The battery-powered crossover fills a niche between ultra-compact and thrifty vehicles and big, expensive, luxury EVs. It’s big enough to offer decent elbow and cargo space but still probably qualifies for the new Clean Vehicle Credit. Chevy has slated it for a 2023 release. Here’s what we know about it at this point.

5 Facts about the Chevy Blazer EV

• The Chevrolet Blazer EV wears the Blazer nameplate like the original “land rover” type SUV. However, it’s built more along the lines of the post-2019 crossover.
• It also differs from the 2019-2023 gasoline Blazer crossover SUV in its platform. It uses the Ultium EV platform and not a repurposed ICE chassis.
• Preorders for the Blazer EV are completely filled as of early November 2022.
• Blazer’s maximum range is about 320 miles, and 0-60 time is less than 4 seconds for some trims.
• The most affordable trim level (1LT) will retail for $44,995)

Chevy Blazer EV Specs

Chevy Blazer EV: Where to Buy

Chevrolet allowed reservations for the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV SUV in 2022, though the allocated preorder numbers were soon filled. Order banks opened when the company revealed its new EV in July 2022. By October Chevy closed down preorders, with a representative informing GM Authority that the company “fulfilled our reservation target.” However, for those potential buyers who missed placing a reservation the first time around, there’s still hope. The same company rep said Chevrolet “will resume reservations closer to production launch.” Chevy drivers will have a second opportunity to get in on the initial launch sometime in spring 2023.

When order banks are open, reserving a Chevy Blazer EV costs just $100 upfront. The reservation fee is completely refundable until Chevy delivers the EV. Customers place reservations online, choosing a nearby dealership to handle the purchase and delivery. The dealer contacts the buyer closer to delivery to ask about desired color, options, and other details.

Interested people can put their name and email on a waitlist while reservations are closed. A Chevrolet dealer will contact those on the waitlist when reservations reopen. The automaker expects to deliver the first LT trim Blazers in summer 2023 and the top-performance SS trim in autumn 2023.

The History of the Chevy Blazer EV: What to Know

The Chevy Blazer was a big hit from its earliest days when it was introduced as a Land Rover-style SUV in 1969. Chevrolet built the early K5 Blazer on a shortened and modified full-size pickup truck chassis. Sporting four-wheel drive and three engine choices, the Blazer soon branched in many different variants. The company added two-wheel drive models, convertible top versions, and at least three more available engines, AutoBlog reports.

Challenging the Jeep and the Ford Bronco, the original Blazer offered more room thanks to its pickup truck genetics. It also gave slick, comfortable riding on-road despite robust off-road chops, a result of its long wheelbase, MotorTrend points out. A three-speed automatic transmission and optional luxury features like air conditioning helped make the early generation Blazers even more attractive. The Bronco and Jeep couldn’t match the Blazer’s interior space, price, and features, and the Chevy SUV soon outsold its rivals.

The Blazer gained even more variants and options with its second generation, lasting until 1991. It even morphed into a compact camper variant, the Blazer Chalet. Long before the slide-out gear tunnel camp kitchen of the Rivian R1T EV pickup truck, the Chalet featured a propane stove and refrigerator for adventurous wilderness dining. It even spawned a military variant, the Chevy M1009 CUCV.

Chevy stopped manufacturing the original Blazer line in 2005 but revived the nameplate in 2019 as a mid-size crossover SUV. The upcoming Blazer EV imitates the looks and driving role of the new crossover Blazer rather than the original off-road “rover,” but in a new platform.

Chevy Blazer EV Versions: Each Edition

GM’s and Chevrolet’s engineers built the Blazer on the brand-new all-electric Ultium platform, a close match to the ICE Blazer. Looks and purpose are the same, but the chassis is completely different. Rather than slapping EV motors on a standard Blazer and calling it a day, Chevy did a ground-up BEV build. It used a variant of its Ultium EV platform, which also underlies the Hummer and the Equinox EV. The Ultium platform includes a modular battery pack system that squeezes maximum power into a fairly compact space.

Chevy will eventually release four Blazer EV trim levels, 1LT, 2LT, RS, and SS. The most affordable trim, the 1LT, won’t arrive until 2024. The RS trim offers the best range, while the crown for aggressive, sporty performance goes to the Blazer SS. The 1LT provides basic everyday driving and the 2LT adds some extra features and conveniences. Base price is $44,995 for the 1LT, $47,595 for the 2LT, $51,995 for the RS, and $65,995 for the premium SS trim.

Range and Recharging

Battery size varies by trim with the Blazer EV, giving a maximum range of 247 miles for the 1LT and 320 miles for the RS. The SS trim offers an approximate 290-mile range. The 2LT pushes the range envelope slightly farther, theoretically reaching about 293 miles on a single charge. These ranges mark the Blazer as fairly average range, above the short-range ultra-compact EVs but falling short of long-range vehicles.

Regenerative braking contributes to the Blazer’s range in all cases. The ranges cited are also GM estimates, not official EPA estimates. EPA estimated range would likely become available closer to the EV’s actual release date.

The Chevy Blazer EV plugs into Level 3 DC fast chargers available at public recharging stations with a standard adapter. Its electrical architecture supports a maximum 190 kW charging rate, so it can’t fully benefit from the 350 kW output of some Level 3s. This charging speed limitation is present in other Chevrolet EVs, including the upcoming Equinox EV and the Bolt.

Nevertheless, DC fast charging squirts 78 miles of range into the battery in 10 minutes. This works out to approximately 30 minutes to give an 80% charge to the RS trim’s high-capacity battery. An hour of Level 2 240-volt charging at 11.5 kW adds about 36 miles of range. A Level 1 120-volt charging cord running off household current is also included.

Performance

Front-wheel drive (FWD) propels basic versions of the Blazer EV. Chevy makes all-wheel drive (AWD) available on mid-level trims and a standard feature on the high-performance SS. The long-range orientated RS trim has the most drivetrain options. Buyers can pick between FWD, rear-wheel drive (RWD), or AWD for their RS. Wheel sizes vary from 19 to 22 inches, with the biggest on the SS.

Chevrolet hasn’t released many performance figures for the Blazer yet. So far, the only metrics officially available are for the SS trim in Wide Open Watts or WOW performancedriving mode. Under these conditions, the Blazer SS burns rubber at 557 horsepower and 648 ft-lbs of torque, enabling launching from 0 mph to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds.

Chevy engineered the Blazer with regenerative braking, making one-pedal driving possible.

Other Features

The Blazer EV seats five occupants, like most other crossover SUVs and modern passenger vehicles in general. The interior features a flat-bottomed racing-type steering wheel and various ambient lighting colors. Chevrolet also highlights some 21st-century exterior aesthetics, such as an illuminated front “bow tie” emblem. Dynamic lighting increases the speed and brilliance of illumination cues as a recharging Blazer gets closer to a full charge.

Reviewers report the Blazer’s interior offers both plentiful headroom and legroom for occupants in the front and rear seats. The flat floor made possible by the Ultium battery packs helps ensure a comfortably spacious interior. Higher trims get leather seats, heated and ventilated seating, dual-zone climate control, and other luxury features. A sunroof is also included, contributing to a visually more open interior with a feeling of freedom.

Chevrolet hasn’t released cargo space measurements as of early November 2022. Rumors and unofficial sources put cargo capacity at approximately 30 to 31 cubic feet behind the rear seating row. These sources claim anywhere from 59 to 64 cubit feet with the rear seating row folded down. None of these figures are confirmed and should be treated as complete guesswork, though they roughly match similar-sized crossovers’ cargo space.

Electronics

Chevy eliminated the need to use the key to start the Blazer EV. Sitting in the driver’s seat while carrying the keyfob and pressing lightly on the accelerator turns the vehicle on hands-free. The hands-free theme continues with Super Cruise, which enables some fairly autonomous driving on about 200,000 miles of mapped North American roads. Enhanced Automatic Parking Assist lets the car park itself on command in both perpendicular and parallel spaces.

Finally, the 2024 Blazer EV will feature all the usual driver assists in modern EVs. These include a forward collision alert and tailgating alert system that works along with automatic emergency braking. It also shows the distance to the car ahead for the driver’s convenience. The vehicle’s high beams sense oncoming vehicles and automatically switch down to low beams at speeds over 25 mph.

The Public Response

Blazing across the page of automotive history as Chevrolet’s first big SUV success story, the original Blazer was a wildly popular vehicle in the early Seventies. Classic Blazers from the Seventies and Eighties, lovingly restored and upgraded, remain favorites among many drivers today. Fifty years later, its EV descendant is poised to carry the torch to new triumphs. Even before the Blazer EV is available, it looks like a potential smash hit.

Reviewers like MotorBiscuit praise the 2024 Blazer EV for its mix of decent range and affordable price. The people have also apparently spoken in the Blazer EV’s favor by buying out the first run of reservations in 3 months. One caveat is that Chevrolet hasn’t even hinted at how many reservation slots it had open for the Blazer. Some commentators have speculated it offered a low initial number of reservations to make demand look higher.

However, GMC halted Hummer EV reservations at 90,000 vehicles in September, as reported by CarBuzz. It’s hard to imagine the more affordable and arguably more versatile Blazer EV isn’t at least as popular as the huge, clunky Hummer, whatever the latter’s brute-force appeal. It seems likely the 2024 Blazer EV may be just as red-hot a seller as the original K5 Blazer was back in the days of disco.