GM is Coming For The Tesla Model Y With The Chevy Blazer EV

General Motors has formally introduced the 2024 Chevy Blazer EV, with trim information, projected range, and cost, after tantalizing the public with brief peeks since March. In addition to four different trim levels, GM is developing a Police Pursuit Vehicle. Here's what we've discovered thus far.

The Chevy Blazer EV was originally made public during GM's CES 2022 presentation. Although the all-electric Silverado was the major emphasis of the presentation, GM CEO Mary Barra did surprise the Las Vegas audience near the end.

That's where we first saw the Blazer's Super Sport (SS) trim - the first performance level of any EV under the Chevy nameplate - but that's about all we knew at the time. GM provided a more fuller tease of the Blazer EV this past June, saying it will come as a 2024 model in the spring of 2023.

According to CEO Mary Barra's tweet, the world will learn more on July 18. As promised, GM has released a slew of fresh information about the Blazer EV and all four of its impending trim levels. 

Specifications

Chevy has not yet released specifications for all trim levels. The top-of-the-line Blazer EV SS has 557 horsepower (415 kilowatts) and torque of 648 pound-feet (879 Newton-meters). The car features a Wide Open Watts (WOW) mode that allows the sporty EV to hit 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour) in less than four seconds. When plugged into a level 2 AC outlet, the charging system can accommodate up to 11.5 kW, or 190 kW when using a DC fast charger.

The Blazer EV PPV will have the SS's front Brembo brakes for the best stopping performance, and Chevy claims this version will have a police-specific cabin built to accommodate officers and their equipment. It's unknown if the Blazer EV PPV will feature the same driver-assistance systems as the civilian model.

Aside from the PPV, Chevy claims that the multiple Blazer EV trims "provide diverse range and content ideal for additional fleet and commercial clients." That implies the Blazer EV may be used as a rental car, security patrol vehicle, or even a delivery van.

The Price

The 2024 Chevy Blazer EV will debut on sale in summer 2023, with a starting price of roughly $48,595. The SS is believed to start about $66,000, while the PPV cost is unknown.

Although we've learned a lot more about the Blazer EV's many trims, the SS remains the centerpiece of GM's current announcement. The Super Sport EV is expected to have 557 horsepower and 648 lb-ft of torque with AWD as standard propulsion.

It also has a Wide Open Watts (WOW) option, which is identical to the GMC Hummer EV's Watts to Freedom mode. According to GM, the Blazer SS can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in under four seconds.

Chevy has been in the electric game longer than other automakers, beginning with the plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt, which was released to consumers in 2010. According to Scott Bell, Global VP of Chevrolet, the company intends to continue leveraging the lessons learned from its prior EV ventures, including the Volt, Bolt EV, and Bolt EUV, to extend Chevrolet's electrified products.

"Our role is to drive the customer into this arena," Bell explained. "We've got work to do to bring the conversation into the masses, and we're absolutely going to utilize our 3,000 dealers who have consumers where 87 percent of our population lives within 10 miles of them."

Bell recognizes that public charging infrastructure and EV pricing are two of the most significant barriers to EV adoption. Bell stated that with the release of the Blazer, the firm would continue to strive to install more fast charging at dealerships around the country, as well as seek to find local community electricians and installers for home charging. Chevrolet and GM will also use their dealer network to increase charging availability, according to Bell.

GM also announced a cooperation with Pilot and Flying J last week to develop on a countrywide fast-charging network.

The Blazer EV will be manufactured at GM's Ramos Arizpe facility in Mexico, which also produces the Blazer's existing internal combustion engine variant.