2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV Review
Whether you’re new to the electric vehicle (EV) world or looking to replace an existing battery-electric vehicle (BEV), there has never been as much choice as there is today. Automakers are introducing new EVs every year.
General Motors (GM) is no exception, launching a number of EVs that are based on its new Ultium EV battery and platform technology. Chevrolet, GM’s value and performance brand, has recently launched its first new Ultium-based electric crossover – the all-new 2024 Blazer EV.
I recently had the opportunity to spend some time with the new Blazer EV. Here are my observations and considerations if you’re putting the Blazer EV on your shopping list.
Blazer EV Exterior Design
First of all, the Blazer EV is designed from the ground up. It shares its name with the gasoline-powered Blazer, but nothing more. It shares nothing with the gasoline Blazer under the skin – and it looks quite different as well.
They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and from this beholder’s eye, the Blazer EV is a really good-looking crossover from all angles. The front end is aggressive, sporty, and with some hints of Camaro and Corvette. The high beltline and slim greenhouse continue the sporty look along the side profile and give it a hunkered-down feel. The upright rear and slim taillights finish off the sporty character. My tester was the sportier RS rear-wheel drive (RWD) in “Red Hot” paint with very large 21” alloy wheels.
When approaching the vehicle with the key, the front light bar animates towards the center, illuminating the Chevrolet badge. The rear lights mimic the same animation. This lighting sequence is also shown when charging the Blazer EV, and stops animating when the battery is charged.
This is a fairly large crossover. At 192.2 inches in length, it is over 6 inches longer than a Ford Mustang Mach-E, and almost 10 inches longer than a Hyundai Ioniq 5. It’s noticeably wider too; at 78 inches, it’s almost 4 inches wider than the Mach-E and Ioniq 5. Thanks to the Blazer EV’s large battery, its wheelbase is stretched to 121.8 inches – over 4 inches longer than that of the Mach-E and even 8 inches longer than the gasoline Blazer.
Chevy Blazer EV Interior
Those larger exterior dimensions translate into plenty of interior passenger room. Front and especially rear passenger legroom are very generous thanks to the very long wheelbase. Headroom, hip room, and shoulder room are all good due to the Blazer EV’s width and upright profile.
It’s pretty clear that Chevrolet prioritized passenger space over cargo space. With the rear seats up, the rear cargo capacity is 25.5 cu ft – shy of the Mach-E at 29.7 cu ft and the IONIQ 5 at 27.2 cu ft. However, the Blazer EV gives you a wider opening, and a more squared-off hatch to make it easy to load cargo. Unlike the Mach-E and IONIQ 5, however, there is no front trunk in the Blazer EV, but there is additional storage under the rear cargo floor that helps to make up for it.
High quality and soft touch materials greet you throughout the interior. Thank you, Chevrolet, for including actual buttons and knobs for the climate control and radio. The large round “turbine” vents are very detailed and reminiscent of classic Chevrolet designs.
My RS tester was dressed in the Black/Adrenaline Red Perforated suede/Evotex synthetic leather seat trim with embossed RS badging in the headrests. If you like red, this is the trim to get. It also comes in all-black if the red is a bit much. I was surprised how the front seats are fairly flat, lacking larger side and thigh bolsters given the sporty design of both the exterior and interior. Nevertheless, the seats are comfortable and can easily accommodate a variety of body types.
Chevy Blazer EV Technology
One of the most interesting, yet controversial, features of the Blazer EV is the infotainment system. In front of you is an 11-inch digital gauge cluster that’s comprehensive and very legible. This is dwarfed by the oversized 17.7-inch hi-resolution infotainment screen that’s super responsive and within easy reach of the driver.
This is the first Chevrolet vehicle to use a Google built-in Android Automotive operating system. The Blazer EV lacks the typical Apply CarPlay and Android Auto interfaces that many drivers have grown accustomed to in modern vehicles. If you’re an Android phone user, like myself, it’s not too big of a leap. But, if you’re an iPhone user it might be a bit of a concern.
You can still download apps using the Google App store for the screen, like Spotify and Waze, and even move those icons to the top of the screen for quick access. Integrated Google maps does a great job of showing the public charging stations that you’ll need to use along a planned route, as well as the battery state of charge when you arrive at each charger.
It’s worth noting that other EVs like the popular Tesla models also don’t support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. If thousands of iPhone users can drive Teslas, then it shouldn’t be a concern with the Blazer EV. In fact, the Blazer EV was also recently included in the 2024 Wards 10 Best Interiors and UX Award Winners.
GM’s well praised driver assistance system, Super Cruise, is not currently available on the Blazer EV and will be an option for next year. My tester was equipped with 360-degree cameras, a head-up display, as well as a plethora of other driver assistance and safety technologies.
Blazer EV Range and Powertrain Options
If you think that the lack of CarPlay is unconventional, then you should look at the Blazer EV’s powertrain configurations. Like its competitors, you can configure the Blazer EV in two-wheel drive (2WD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). However, for 2WD, you can configure the Blazer EV in either front-wheel drive (FWD) or rear-wheel drive (RWD). I’ve been around cars and the industry my whole life and can’t remember a car giving you this choice, whether EV or gas-powered.
The FWD versions of the Blazer EV will come in base LT trim at a later date. AWD is currently standard on the entry-level LT trim and optional on the sportier RS trim. The RS can also be configured in RWD like my tester. In contrast, competitors models like the Toyota bZ4X give you a choice between FWD and AWD. Others like the Mach-E and IONIQ 5 give you a choice between RWD and AWD.
All-wheel drive models are front-wheel drive biased, and use a small 62-kW induction motor in the rear, which is essentially used to assist when rear traction is needed for short periods of time. This means that it will help you start from a standstill when road surfaces get a bit slippery, but won’t help much in more challenging terrain or when cruising in slippery conditions over longer distances.
This setup is similar to Toyota’s e-AWD used in the Prius and RAV4 hybrids, which use a small electric motor in the rear to assist the front wheels when more traction is needed. Systems like this are more of a temporary assist, rather than a true AWD system, and are primarily designed to help increase efficiency and range by only using one driving axle.
What’s also interesting is that the AWD Blazer EV trims are equipped with only one battery size – an 85-kWh battery with a range of up to 279 miles (or 449 km) EPA Estimated. The battery is slightly larger than that of competitors, and provides decent range. Unlike competitors, there is no standard and extended range battery.
On RWD models, like my RS RWD tester, the battery size grows to 102 kWh, with up to 324 miles (521 km) of range EPA Estimated. The bigger battery is used to support a more-powerful rear 254 kW motor. To complicate things a bit further, the upcoming SS model will have a different AWD setup and the bigger 102-kWh battery. I would love to see an LT or RS AWD model with the bigger battery for more range – perhaps something that they’ll introduce later.
Chevrolet Blazer EV: Charging
The Blazer EV’s charging speeds also depend on the trim and drivetrain. On all models, you’ll be greeted with the largest powered charging door in the industry, nicely integrated along the driver’s side front fender.
I applaud Chevrolet for recognizing that most EV owners will charge at home using a Level 2 home charger, likely 80 to 90 percent of the time. Consequently, the onboard AC charger for all models is 11.5 kW (48A), which is more powerful than that of competitors like the Toyota bZ4X, and on par with competitors like the Hyundai Ioniq 5. With a Level 2 home charger, 11.5 kW or 48A is powerful enough to charge the larger battery of the Blazer EV from empty to full overnight.
It's a different story for Level 3 DC fast charging, as it depends on the battery size. The 85-kWh battery-equipped vehicles can charge at a peak 150 kW, which is about the same as the Mustang Mach-E, but well below some of key competitors like the Ioniq 5’s 220 kW peak charging speed. The 102-kWh battery in the RWD models has a higher 190-kW peak charging speed. Of course, this is just the peak charging speed; DC charging speed is greatly affected by the charging curve – how long it can hold the peak charging speed during the entire charging process. Oddly, Chevrolet doesn’t provide the standard 10-80% figure like other brands, but says that you can obtain about 78 miles (125 km) of range in 10 minutes.
Blazer Electric Vehicle Driving Experience
The Blazer EV is a great-riding vehicle thanks to its long wheelbase. It’s competent, quiet, and smooth at all speeds. At highway speeds, the Blazer EV is stable, confident, and quiet. At slower speeds, it’s easy to maneuver.
Given how sporty my RS trim looked, I was expecting a more performance-oriented driving experience. Like most EVs, the Blazer EV isn’t slow and can quickly accelerate from 0-60 mph in about 6.5 seconds. It’s not as quick as some competitors, and the way the power comes on is very different from other EVs.
EVs like the Ioniq 5 and Tesla Model Y instantly throw you back into your seat when accelerating from a standstill. The Blazer EV’s power comes on strong, but more gradually – without the rapid jolt that you get from other EVs. Cornering is competent for this heavy vehicle, if not entirely sporty, and the Blazer EV could use some bigger seat bolsters for more spirited driving.
The Blazer EV’s regenerative braking system feels a bit stronger than that of competitor models and takes some getting used to. A one-pedal driving feature can be accessed through the infotainment screen. It has two settings – standard “on” and “high.” Even the standard setting immediately slows down the vehicle significantly at higher speeds, more abruptly than what I’ve experienced in other EVs like the Ioniq 5.
There’s also a regen on-demand paddle behind the left side of the steering wheel that can be used with one-pedal on or off. It allows you to modulate the amount of regenerative braking, similar to what’s on the Chevrolet Bolt. I usually like driving with the one-pedal turned on, but in the Blazer EV I found myself turning it off and using the regen paddle to modulate the amount of regenerative braking.
Chevrolet Blazer EV: Pricing and Availability
The current entry-level Blazer LT eAWD has a starting MSRP of $48,800. The sportier RS trim starts at an MSRP of $53,200 for either the RWD or AWD model. An entry-priced LT FWD model and high-performance SS model will launch in about a year, with pricing to be announced. All models are assembled in Mexico and currently qualify for the $7,500 Clean Vehicle Federal Tax Credit, whether you purchase or lease.
The Blazer EV’s pricing is a bit higher that competitors like the Tesla Model Y RWD or AWD trims that offer slightly more range. Ford’s updated 2024 Mach-E has a lower starting MSRP on its base trims, but doesn’t offer the Blazer EV’s range or size. Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 offers a slightly lower entry MSRP, slightly less range, but offers much quicker DC charging speeds.
Overall, the 2024 Blazer EV is definitely worth the look if you’re shopping for a new EV. It’s super stylish inside and out. While the pricing is a bit on the high side for a Chevrolet and when compared to other EVs in this segment, you also get a larger vehicle, a bigger battery, and good range. The lack of Apple CarPlay might be a concern for many, but honestly, that shouldn’t stop you from looking at this EV. There’s a reason why MotorTrend awarded the Blazer EV its 2024 SUV of the Year.
