Chevrolet is experiencing its highest rate of loyalty ever at the moment, making it a great time to introduce new vehicles. The launch of the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV battery-electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) capitalizes on that timing.
SUVs are a 64-percent slice in the EV sales pie and Chevy expects that share to continue. The General Motors brand wants a large swath of current Equinox and Blazer gasoline drivers, as well as people driving competitors like the the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and others to convert to electric power without giving up the things they like about their current models.
The best thing about the 2024 Chevy Blazer EV is choice. Buyers are able to choose from a variety of trim levels, powertrains, paint colors, safety technology and comfort and convenience features in more combinations than the average EV allows. In this way, it’s very similar to a “normal” car.
Like many Chevrolets, the Blazer EV is offered in LT, RS and SS trim levels, each with a slightly different character. The LT features a monochromatic appearance and 19-inch wheels. The RS model gains black accents on the grille and elsewhere, along with standard 21-inch wheels. The high-performance SS model is the most aggressive with a third unique grille, two-tone color scheme with a black roof and 22-inch wheels.
General Motors
The all-wheel drive (AWD) Blazer RS EV is available now at dealerships nationwide. The Blazer 2LT AWD and RS rear-wheel drive will follow in the coming weeks. The Blazer SS and less-expensive front-wheel drive models will launch in the coming months, according to Chevrolet.
The new Blazer electric SUV is one of the few vehicles to be offered with all three options for drivetrain.
There are two battery sizes, 85 kilowatt (kW) and 102 kW, leading to ranges of 279 miles for all-wheel drive Blazers and 324 miles for rear-drive options. Chevrolet hasn’t revealed the range of the front-wheel drive model yet.
Blazer comes with an 11.5-kW onboard AC charging module for at-home charging and public charging. It has a high-speed DC public fast-charging capability of up to 190 kW, recharging 78 miles of all-electric range in about 10 minutes.
The front lighting conveys the state of charge while the vehicle charges. It increases in speed and intensity as the battery’s charge increases.
The 2024 Blazer’s cabin is huge with a massive trunk for cargo, even without the rear seats folded down. Those rear seats will also easily fit a 6-foot person behind another 6-foot person in front. Three child or booster seats could fit in the second row as well.
General Motors
General Motors
The rocket booster theme is strong here, going even further than the Chevy Camaro with red accented, round climate vents with fluting that almost looks like fire. It looks especially cool with those accents in the sun where they reflect and shine a bit. The Blazer EV still has physical controls for climate and volume, though there are redundant and permanent climate icons the touchscreen too.
That central touchscreen infotainment system measures 17.7-inches and is connected to an 11-inch digital driver instrument cluster on all trims. A head-up display, the rear camera mirror surround vision, the auto sense power liftgate and heated wipers are optional. Google Built-in is standard but Apple CarPlay is not available.
One day of driving wasn’t enough to get used to the system, which doesn’t seems as straightforward as the Apple CarPlay interface but can be used with voice control. That big dual-screen setup is standard across the Blazer EV lineup.
The seats are perforated suede (in the rear-drive RS) or faux leather (in the AWD RS) and feature color accents either in the stitching or on the panels, though they’re surprisingly stiff for this type of vehicle. However, taller bolsters do help when winding through mountain roads at speed, keeping the driver firmly in place.
General Motors
General Motors
Super Cruise, GM’s hands-free, eyes-up assisted driving software will be available next year. The system is standard on the Blazer SS and optional on RS and LT models. Elsewhere in safety, the Blazer will also come with expected features such as emergency braking, forward collision alert, following distance indicator (which is more useful than it sounds), lane keep assist and departure warning.
2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV RS RWD Review
The Blazer EV RS with rear-wheel drive is the lineup’s middle model. It offers up to 340 horsepower (hp) and is expectedly quick from a standstill and plenty powerful when already cruising. But, both the brake pedal and regeneration are exceptionally heavy.
The regeneration is adjustable between off, low and high. The highest mode regenerates the most energy, but does throw the driver’s and passenger’s head forward when jumping off the throttle.
Tour, Sport, Snow/Ice and My Mode driving modes adjust the steering effort, throttle, brakes and Jetson’s like acceleration sound, though the suspension is fixed in each model.
Regardless, the Blazer EV is one of the more comfortable electric SUVs on the market today. Despite the 21-inch wheels, it thuds smoothly and quietly over small bumps and rolls completely over bigger potholes with those giant tires.
In Sport mode the rear-drive Blazer RS EV seems to love those twisting roads in the mountains near San Diego, especially alongside heavy regeneration. It allows a different kind of control than a standard two-pedal, gas-brake setup. A driver can accelerate hard around corners, and then pull back on the accelerator a little bit to slow for the next corner and then shove it back down for the next straight section.
Though heavy on the scales around 5,500 pounds, the Blazer feels lighter during spirited driving.
As with all EVs, the low center of gravity is key for handling. The Blazer is planted around curves and doesn’t lean. It also stays more level than expected when braking and accelerating hard.
General Motors
2024 Chevrolet Blazer RS AWD Review
We also tested the all-wheel drive electric Blazer. Together the two motors deliver 288 horsepower and though it didn’t feel as quick as the RS RWD model, it was perfectly suited to getting up to and staying at expressway speeds. Chevy says the RS AWD model has a zero-to-sixty time of about 6 seconds, the rear-wheel drive RS hits the mark in 5 seconds and the forthcoming SS will go the same distance in under 4 seconds.
The 2024 Chevrolet Blazer RS all-wheel drive is on sale now for $60,215; the 2LT AWD, also on sale now, is $56,715 before destination and taxes, as well as EV tax credits. The front-wheel drive Blazer 2LT launches next year with a price less than $50,000, according to Chevy and the RS rear-wheel drive with the bigger electric motor is $61,790.
The Blazer isn’t one of the top sellers in the midsize segment, that space is occupied by the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Hyundai Santa Fe. However, being a recognizable name in a sea of new electric options might prove an advantage in the current climate, especially with its high brand loyalty.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
