2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV: Chevy Delivers a Mustang Mach-E Killer
Competes with: Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Tesla Model Y, Volkswagen ID.4
Looks like: A cross between a Camaro and a gas-powered Blazer
Powertrains: Front-, rear- or all-wheel drive; three optional battery packs; up to 557 horsepower and 648 pounds-feet of torque
Hits dealerships: Summer 2023
GM is about to embark on its plan to electrify the majority of its mass-market offerings with a new model aimed squarely at the heart of the burgeoning high-volume, electric mid-size SUV segment. Arriving in the summer of 2023 will be the new 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV, the brand’s first attempt at offering up such a competitor. While the Tesla Model Y currently holds the top sales spot in this class, the Blazer EV’s sights are obviously more firmly set on the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and Volkswagen ID.4, with a range of trim levels, performance variants and price points.
A Blazer for Everyone
The first thing to know about the 2024 Blazer EV is that it will come in multiple flavors. Trim levels will include the 1LT, 2LT, RS, SS, along with special fleet and Police Pursuit Vehicle versions. It will offer up front-, rear- or all-wheel-drive variants — FWD is standard on the 1LT, 2LT and RS, while AWD is optional on the RS and standard on the SS. But you will also be able to get your RS in a rear-drive configuration — it has a bigger motor than the FWD version and is aimed at being sportier than the rest of the lineup, but it’s not quite as crazy (or expensive) as the SS. The SS will be the pure performance model, getting an exclusive AWD twin-motor setup, producing 557 horsepower and 648 pounds-feet of torque, good for a sub-4-second 0-60 mph sprint, according to Chevy. Range will top out at a brand-estimated 320 miles, depending on configuration (the SS is rated at 290 miles), and charging will be accomplished with an 11.5-kilowatt onboard AC charger, adding up to 36 miles of range per hour on a suitable home or public Level 2 charger, or a public DC fast charger capable of up to 190 kW, allowing for up to 78 miles of added range in just 10 minutes. One-pedal driving will be an option for drivers interested in that kind of electric-vehicle operation, as will a Regen On Demand button that has appeared on other electrified Chevrolet offerings like the Bolt EV and the old Volt plug-in hybrid.
GM’s next-generation Ultium architecture is present under the shapely sheet metal; it’s the same scalable EV system the company uses in everything from the GMC Hummer EV to the Cadillac Lyriq. This is the least expensive version of the system announced so far, making it accessible to more buyers who might not quite be able to pony up for a fancy Cadillac. With the Blazer EV, however, Chevy aims to deliver an EV that fits into a lot more peoples’ wallets — and garages.
What’s clear to us is that the Blazer represents Chevrolet’s performance model, with a very similar scheme to what Ford offers on the Mustang Mach-E — some lesser trim models at lower price points, but with a lot of attention focused on the higher-end performance chops. We expect the upcoming Equinox EV, yet to be seen, will address a lower-cost, mass-market spot in Chevy’s electric SUV lineup.
Looking the Part
There will be distinct visual differences between trim levels for the Blazer EV, even more so than Ford delivers for the Mustang Mach-E. The influence of Chevy’s Camaro and existing Blazer are clear in the overall shape and front-end design, with a healthy dose of Corvette influence, as well. The LT trims have a monochromatic paint scheme with standard 19-inch wheels; those wishing for a sportier appearance can go for the RS trim with its black grille and accents and 21-inch wheels. For the most aggressively sporty appearance, the SS brings a unique front end, a blacked-out roof and windshield pillars, and 22-inch wheels to the party.
The front lighting also gets a few touches from the extraordinary displays seen on the Lyriq and the Hummer EV. On the RS and SS models, a dual-element LED lighting signature up front has a bunch of dancing patterns that welcome and bid farewell to the driver upon approach and departure. The full light bar and illuminated Bow-Tie emblem are incorporated into the animations, and the lighting also shows the vehicle’s charging progress when plugged in, with a sequential pattern increasing in speed and intensity as the battery’s charge increases. Lesser 1LT and 2LT versions get LED headlights, but they skip the connecting light bar and light-up badge.
More Traditional-Style Interiors
Unlike its Tesla and Ford rivals, Chevy has decided that just because a car is electric doesn’t mean you need to reinvent how it works or looks. Front and center is a new free-form 17.7-inch digital touchscreen display featured prominently on the Blazer EV’s dashboard between turbine-like climate control vents and next to an 11-inch digital gauge cluster behind the steering wheel.
Interiors will also differ between trim levels, with RS and SS trims getting a flat-bottom steering wheel, blue and red contrast stitching on the RS, and sueded microfiber seating on the SS with available Adrenaline Red seats and Argon Orange accents. The front seats are heated and ventilated on the RS and SS, with heated rear seats standard on the SS and optional on the RS. Ambient lighting is standard throughout the Blazer EV range, but it’s personalizable on the RS and SS trims.
There will also be a number of interesting details for the new Blazer EV, some of which seem to have been taken from the Tesla playbook. Most prominent is the hands-free start system, which eliminates push-button start — just get in with the key fob or enabled smartphone, sit down, and push the brake pedal to get going. The charge port door is power-operated and can be set to automatically open when the vehicle detects it’s near a charger. And like many new Chevrolet products, Super Cruise hands-free highway cruise control will be an option on certain trims.
The navigation system uses the MyChevy app to help locate and plot a course to an available nearby charging station. That proximity detection also works at the back door, where the Blazer EV can tell if someone with a fob or approved smartphone device is standing there and open the hatchback.
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Accessible Pricing
Pricing for the new Blazer EV matches up quite well against competitor SUVs from Ford and Hyundai. It starts with the 1LT, which will ring in at around $44,995 (including destination fee), then $47,595 for the 2LT, $51,995 for the RS and a significant jump to $65,995 for the SS. The 2LT and RS trims will be first to go on sale in summer 2023, followed by the SS in late 2023 and the 1LT in the first quarter of 2024. Ordering is open now for the 2LT and RS trims on Chevrolet’s site.
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