Yes…if you've driven a Tesla, you may feel right at home, but if you've never driven an all-electric vehicle before…or even if you have driven one of the others, Chevy's Blazer will surprise you.
How?
Bobby Jackson
Well for starters, just walk up w the key in your pocket…open the door…sit down…and it's on and ready to go. No "start" button or anything. Just shift into Drive and go. Want it "Off"? hit the little "Vehicle Off" tab on the screen….or just get out and shut the door.
Like I said…different.
Yes...if you're talkin' all-electric, GM has positioned itself as a major force to be reckoned with.
Sure…just about every manufacturer has now gone way beyond just dipping their toes in the "juice", but GM is leading the charge ( sorry ) when it comes to eventually electrifying their entire line.
Bobby Jackson
And the basic "building block" that they're using to do that is what they used to call their Ultium battery that they're planning to use across their entire lineup. I say "used to" as GM has just announced that they're dropping the name "Ultium"…but just the name…not the technology.
What's the big deal, you ask? GM has developed an advanced battery technology that places the battery low in the frame, giving even tall SUVs sharp and poised handling. Plus putting the battery down there helps protect it in minor fender benders. One thing that you definitely don't want to do in an EV is bump that battery.
Bobby Jackson
Another benefit of the system is that it uses your battery's heat like a heat pump…to help heat and cool your vehicle and take some strain off of your battery…and that helps prolong battery life and extend range.
Plus the design uses fewer battery wires, keeping cost and complexity down and allowing for faster charging.
Again, it's a system, not a gimmick. Heck…even Honda is using GM's system as the platform for their new all-electric Prologue.
As I said…GM is taking all electric seriously…from the ground up.
So let's look at Chevy's '25 Blazers.
Bobby Jackson
Yesterday's Blazer may have had a V-6 or V-8 cranking out somewhere around 200 HP and getting 20 MPG driving slowly downhill.
But today's Blazer can be had in either gas or all-electric versions.
If you opt for gas power, your power will come from either a turbo four or a V-6…with pricing starting in the mid-$30's.
But the all-new-for-'24 all-electric version is the one that we got to test. Right now it comes in both LT and RS trims...starting in the high $40's before the $7,500 tax credit.
You'll get 288 HP and if you choose rear-wheel-drive you'll get a 324 mile range. AWD will knock that down to a still-respectable 279 miles.
Either way, you'll have a huge 17.7" screen with built-in Google…an 8-year / 100K battery warranty…and ample room for five and a whole lot of their stuff in the back.
The LT will be riding on 19's, with the RS wearing 21's…with the upscale RS, as you'd probably expect, bringing heated and ventilated seating, heated steering, an auto rear liftgate, and most of the safety alerts that you'd expect.
Need more? Well…this is Chevy, right? So it should be no surprise that they have a monster 557 HP SS Blazer just now starting to make its way into showrooms.
Stay tuned……….!
