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This roomy midsize SUV gets a lot right. Now about that price tag.
GM has introduced a handful of EVs in the past two years : the GMC Hummer SUV and its associate pickup motortruck , the Cadillac Lyriq and the Silverado EV pickup truck . But so far , none of them have had the success of the cheaper , smaller Chevy Bolt , the wedge - similar all - electric hatchback that debut nearlyeight years ago .
To say the pressure is on for GM and the newfangled Chevrolet Blazer EV — a fomite designed to fill Americans ’ never - terminate appetites for SUVs — is a bit of an understatement . The weight of GM ’s EV achiever does n’t breathe totally on the all - electrical midsize SUV ; the upcoming Chevrolet Equinox EV , GMC Sierra pickup andCadillac Escalade IQ , all of which are expect in 2024 , partake in that burden .
Still , the Chevrolet Blazer EV is a critical tryout piece for GM and Chair and CEO Mary Barra’sUltium weapons platform , the new electric architecture and accompanying Ultifi software first reveal in 2020 that is the groundwork of the auto maker ’s EV plans .
TechCrunch recently drive out to San Diego to screen the Chevrolet Blazer EV . The upshot ? The Chevy Blazer EV hits a lot of the right notes , from the exterior conception and inner touches to the user interface on its infotainment system of rules and a well - implant drive . There are no rank missteps either , although some might put getting rid of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into that camp . And gratefully , Chevy has designed and produced an absolutely normal SUV — a welcome relief from the bowed stringed instrument of novelty EVs that have come on the market in recent age .
The big young lady is thehigher - than - expected price tag . While Chevrolet has said its cheapest interpretation , the front - wheel ride LT trim , will be priced under $ 50,000 , the other variant start at $ 56,715 , $ 60,215 and $ 61,790 , with the most expensive SS role model not even announce yet .
That Mary Leontyne Price reach leave me with this punchline : In spite of all of its wins , the Blazer EV , which is intend to be a intensity vender , is simply too expensive for what it offers .
Nuts and bolts
First , the eyeglasses . The Chevy Blazer EV will be provide in three passementerie : the LT , RS and performance SS . The Chevy Blazer EV RS trimming in all - wheel drive is already in production at GM ’s manufactory in Ramos Arizpe , Mexico . The LT all - roulette wheel and RS rearward - wheel drive versions are wait to go into production in the “ come weeks ” with others following later in the class , according to the fellowship .
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If this looks like a lot of choices , you ’re ripe . Chevrolet is offer loads of option . A buyer not only has three trims to select from — luxuriousness ( LT ) , rally sport ( RS ) and super sport ( SS ) — there are also two dissimilar 400 - V bombardment pack sizes and a pick between front , rearward and all - wheel cause choice .
The big unanswered question is whether this will thrill or overcome consumer ?
Chevrolet has cast the head - twirl identification number of configuration as a competitive vantage that consumer will respond to , in contrast to Tesla , which has taken the EV sales lead with a less - is - more business model . From the exterior , it could be construed that Chevrolet is offering all of these options because it is n’t clear what consumer really need . If that ’s the case , I would expect those choices to become more limited in the future as Chevrolet home in on what consumers are buy .
The wardrobe drive hold in San Diego put reporters behind the wheel of the fundament - wheel and all - roulette wheel crusade versions of the Chevy Blazer EV RS clipping .
The RWD RS equipped with a 102 kWh battery pack has an EPA endorse compass of 324 miles and a powertrain that offer 340 horsepower and 325 pounding - feet of torsion . That RWD interlingual rendition , which has a piece more peppiness in its step and long range , embark on at $ 61,790 . The RS AWD starts at $ 60,215 .
A immediate word about the all - wheel drive powertrain , which is notably brandmark eAWD . In this powertrain , there is a 241 - horsepower permanent - attracter synchronal motor that power the front wheel and a 90 - horsepower induction motor at the rear axle . That rearward motor is n’t working all the time . alternatively , customers should believe of this as an assistant motor that steps in if the roads are slippery or as they arrive at the accelerator .
Chevy Blazer EV: Like, love and loathe
Chevrolet , or more like its parent GM , made a strategic conclusion with this midsize SUV when it decided to give it the Blazer badge . After all , the gas - powered Blazer batting order still very much exists and will share the same dealer story outer space . The name , however , is where the similarity end , with perhaps the exception of having almost identical lengths .
It all depart from there . The Blazer EV has a longer 121.8 - column inch wheelbase — intimately 10 inch longer than the ICE version — and it ’s a skosh wider too . Those spec combined with a lower roofline and athletic stance give the Chevy Blazer EV a sleeker appearance than its gas - powered cousin .
There is a lot to wish , and even have a go at it , about the Chevy Blazer EV . Loathe ? Maybe one or two item made my list .
Opinions on the outside will likely vary ; here at TechCrunch it ’s safe to say some folks hated it . But you have to give GM recognition for giving the Chevy Blazer EV a personality with some standout exterior features that keep it from looking like yet another homogeneous Vitamin E tablet - shaped nugget . The fomite is usable in eight colors , with the “ radiant red metallic ” and “ galaxy grey metallic ” as the options that best highlight the curves and edge of the Blazer EV .
Notably , the automaker does this without making the Blazer EV look like a fallal machine . That edgy - without - being - silly vibration continues into the cabin — a situation where the fomite really beam , with a few exceptions .
Chevrolet make the most of the Blazer EV ’s blanket stance , a decision that leaves the driver and its passengers with hatful of elbow room ; include 59.8 cubic feet of rearward cargo space . That roomie , roomy tone even extends to the seats themselves . While the seats were not the most well-heeled I ’ve ever experienced , they are intelligibly design to fit a range of size and shape .
Once inside the Blazer EV , client wo n’t be able to miss the declamatory 17.7 - inch central touchscreen and the 11 - inch instrument clustering place directly behind the steering wheel . A fomite with a large touchscreen does n’t mean that there ’s functioning software program or that ’s it ’s sluttish to use . gratefully , the Blazer EV , the first Chevy vehicle with the Ultifi software program , receive most of the job done .
Let ’s commence with the UX , or user experience . The Chevrolet Blazer EV has a combination of forcible knobs and buttons along with that big ol’ touchscreen . Chevy cop the balance between these selection and there ’s plenty of lap for those who only desire to use the touchscreen to execute the HVAC and other characteristic .
My favourite features : A large physical knob is confiscate to the touchscreen ( somewhat evocative of the knob on the Ford Mustang Mach - E ) and icon on the far left field of the screen that roleplay like shortcuts to one - pedal point drive . There are in reality a couple of these shortcut icons constellate together , but the one - foot lever drive picture is by far the most useful .
Many , most recentlyFord CEO Jim Farley , have bump GM for forsake Apple CarPlay and Android Auto , which jut out a drug user ’s phone to the sum screen . My experience behind the wheel and in the passenger buns go out me less wary than before .
The Chevy Blazer EV is equipped withGoogle Built - in , which is powered by its Android Automotive operating system and integrates Google Service including Google Maps and Google Assistant directly into the fomite . The Google Play Store , YouTube and third - party apps such as Spotify are also available . This translates to jolly tranquil operations for the user and a far good experience than what many other wonky infotainment organisation fling . Although it should be note that in the beginning of my movement I had to switch out vehicle due to a software program bug that did n’t earmark access to any of those features . This should be fixed with a package update and hopefully wo n’t be a lingering result .
As for those misses : The operation of the stock to shift into neutral , drive and reverse is awkward and the “ sport ” mode is , well not exactly sporty . Despite the littlest of excess oomphs off the ancestry , there did n’t seem to be any difference from the normal drive selection name “ tour . ” The Chevy Blazer EV RS does n’t have controlled or alive respite , which means switching between modes does n’t deepen the ride feel . The guidance feedback was also less than inspiring in the RS .
That might seem rather fussy considering all of the fomite ’s win . But for any vehicle priced above $ 60,000 , expected value should be mellow .
