Chevrolet may be selling a fair number of Blazer SUVs, but the 2019 reboot of the nameplate fell short of expectations for many classic Blazer buyers. The question is whether an all-new Blazer EV, due to reach showrooms for 2023, will come closer to the mark.
An all-new Chevrolet Blazer EV will make its formal debut on July 18, according to General Motors CEO Mary Barra. It’s one of at least 30 battery-electric vehicles the Detroit automaker plans to launch by 2025, part of a $35 billion electrification program.
In a new tweet, Barra offered an undisguised look at the new crossover, which was first announced at the Consumer Electronics Show last January — at the same time GM said the bowtie brand also would get all-electric versions of the Equinox SUV and Silverado pickup.
“Developed from the ground up, the Blazer EV offers a groundbreaking mix of style, performance and technology. Stay tuned to learn more,” the GM CEO wrote in her tweet.
Allow me to share a sneak peek at the all-new @Chevrolet Blazer #EV. ????
I can’t wait until July 18, when we share the details with the world. pic.twitter.com/FIPE2SRVyg
— Mary Barra (@mtbarra) June 13, 2022
A New Architecture, Better Batteries
The pic included in Barra’s announcement shows a modern-looking CUV — which might disappoint those who somehow fantasized a return to the boxier lines of the classic Blazer SUV. There are some design details shared between the current, gas-powered models and the all-electric model.
But the Blazer EV adopts cues that have become shorthand for the latest generation of battery-electric vehicles — like the LED lightbar that flows across Blazer’s nose, atop the slit-like headlights and grille. That grille is sealed, as there’s no need to push air under the hood since there’s no engine compartment.
The 2023 Blazer’s drivetrain, including the lithium-ion battery pack, is mounted under the load floor, the electric crossover using GM’s new Ultium “architecture,” which is shared with a variety of upcoming BEVs, including the Equinox and the Cadillac Lyriq.
![2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/06/2023-Chevrolet-Bolt-EUV-and-Bolt-EV-driving-1-700x467.jpg)
The batteries use a new chemistry that, GM claims, has a higher energy density — in other words, more kilowatt-hours in a smaller package. The Ultium batteries are cheaper to produce and also are expected to reduce the risk of fires.
Chevy had to recall nearly 200,000 of its older-style Bolt EV and EUV models after a handful of fires were reported. The two models were out of production for 9 months as safer replacement batteries were developed and put into production.
Eventually, GM plans to have four plants producing the Ultium batteries in North America. Initially, the Blazer’s batteries will come from a new factory in Lordstown, Ohio.
Plenty of Room
The skateboard-like design has a number of advantages. Though the Blazer EV will certainly be heavier than the gas model, it will boast a lower center of gravity. The electric model is expected to have a “frunk,” or front trunk, where an engine would have gone. Meanwhile, some of the space normally devoted to the engine compartment will be repurposed in the form of a larger cabin and rear cargo compartment.
We’ve yet to see images of the Blazer interior but Chevy officials have, on background, promised the EV will get a much more high-tech cabin, with a large digital gauge cluster and infotainment screen.
GM has shown that it can build a serious off-roader with the launch of the GMC Hummer EV last year. Whether the new Blazer will regain some of its classic trail composure is uncertain — as are powertrain details.
![2023 Chevrolet Blazer - charging 2023 Chevrolet Blazer](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/06/2023-Chevrolet-Blazer-charging-700x456.jpg)
SS Model in the Works
GM’s ‘Path to an All-Electric Future’
![Cadillac Lyriq on Assembly line (REL) Cadillac Lyriq](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/06/Cadillac-Lyriq-on-Assembly-line-REL-700x467.jpg)