I find Chevy’s recent choices of EV models very interesting. Of course, we were all following the Silverado EV release story, a game-changing development not only for Chevy but also for the industry at large. With an EV truck on its hands, one could have fairly presumed that Chevy would make its next EV victory in the Malibu, with a driver demographic that seems to be in the market for an EV. Instead, Chevy announced production of the Blazer EV and later announced that production of the Malibu would cease altogether. While those following the Malibu closely may have seen this coming, I think this announcement came as a bit of an unfortunate surprise to many Chevy fans, with the Malibu being a staple of the brand’s lineup for sixty years.
What’s interesting about this sequence of events–the revealing of the Blazer EV followed by the end of the Malibu–is that it seems to point to a trend within the industry. Could it be that sedans are going out of style and being replaced by compact and midsize SUVs? It certainly seems that way. Shortly after announcing the Blazer EV, Chevy also announced the Equinox EV, a vehicle that is essentially in the exact same class as the Blazer. Go to a Chevy dealer and peruse models from the past few model years. You’ll see a number of similar compact and midsize SUVs that all have a unique focus and specialty, but only one sedan produced in recent years: the Malibu.
As more and more brands have bridged the gap between sedan and full-size SUVs, many drivers have seen that the in-between option, a midsize SUV, offers significantly more utility and practicality while maintaining a similar price point to a sedan. Many families often have the “family” vehicle and the “commuter” car, but a midsize SUV provides the opportunity to have both in one vehicle, making it a no-brainer for many family drivers. Even single people who like to seek adventure often want more cargo space, outdoor capability, or even just the safety and style benefits that come with a midsize SUV. So, with electric vehicles on the rise in the United States, it makes a lot of sense that Chevy would prioritize compact and midsize SUV production while it seems, letting go of sedan production.
The 2025 Blazer EV is an interesting vehicle, as it really shows the current state of the automotive industry–a focus on advanced electric powertrains, a contemporary design that feels electric and dazzles the eye, and all-encompassing technology for safety, comfort, and convenience. This is the Blazer’s second model year, and it certainly seems to be a trendsetter for the industry. I want to take a closer look at how the Blazer EV is driving the midsize SUV market forward and how it embraces the current state of the industry. Let’s do so by looking at the three criteria I mentioned before: powertrain, design, and technology.
Powertrain
Chevy seems to have an advantage over most other brands when it comes to electric powertrains. The brand’s signature Ultium Platform has gotten quite a bit of notoriety, having been introduced on the Silverado EV. With modular battery and drive unit combinations as the foundation, Chevy is able to build its all-electric future on this one platform. This combination of battery and motors allows any vehicle that sits atop the Ultium platform to perform better than other vehicles in its class.
Showcasing this, the 2025 Blazer EV achieves an impressive 595 hp and 645 pounds-feet of torque. That’s beyond astonishing when you consider that we’re talking about a midsize SUV. That’s more than most direct-injection trucks offer, meaning the Blazer EV is seriously breaking the mold of its vehicle class.
Now, whether or not a Blazer EV driver ever accesses that level of horsepower or torque will, of course, be up to the specific driver. In general, it’s probably more likely that a Silverado EV driver will put the Ultium platform to the test than a Blazer EV driver, but you never know. But, aside from the impressive performance specs, the Ultium platform also offers some of the most creative efficiency solutions on the market.
With regenerative braking and One Pedal Driving, drivers can extend the Blazer EV’s range, reducing the need to stop at a charging station. Regenerative braking allows drivers to manually slow the vehicle down, allowing some of that extra power to be returned to the powertrain and re-generated for extended range. One Pedal Driving, of course, takes this further. While some are familiar with one-pedal driving as an off-road feature for trail-crawling, the purpose is a bit different here. By converting all of the acceleration and deceleration to the use or suspension of the acceleration pedal, the Blazer EV can really maximize its energy for more miles of range.
The Ultium platform certainly shows a promising electric future for Chevy. The Blazer EV is certainly a genre-breaker, and it will be interesting to see over time how the vehicle’s demographic evolves. With the power and efficiency provided by the Ultium platform, the Blazer EV has the potential to go well beyond the Blazer’s traditional demographic and appeal to all-electric enthusiasts who may not have had interest in the Blazer previously. And, with style to challenge any other vehicle––midsize SUV, all-electric, or otherwise––the Blazer EV will be catching some eyes.
Design
Based on the current state of the industry, it’s clear that EVs have to be stylish. There’s no way around it. No matter how capable or impressive an EV may be, if it doesn’t offer that flare of all-electric style, it’s not going to keep up. Rather than merely keeping up, the 2025 Blazer EV exceeds expectations. With three trim levels––LT, RS, and SS––the Blazer EV provides a range of design options, but there is a clear champion of the three.
The SS trim is Chevy’s newest all-electric package. With a glossy and intriguing exterior and features like available exterior choreography LED lighting (granted, that feature is available on other trim levels as well), the exterior will draw you to the interior, which is where the SS trim will really astonish. With Adrenaline Red seating, the Blazer EV SS makes it clear that this is not your classic midsize SUV––this is a racing vehicle that demands to be taken seriously. With an almost all-red interior, the SS trim appeals to those who are seeking the Blazer EV for its electrification and sporty style rather than its midsize SUV components.
As exciting as the SS trim is, the LT and RS trims offer very stylish options as well. The LT trim offers a mostly-black interior but with plenty of comfort and convenience features. The RS trim offers perhaps a lighter version of the SS seat trim for those who like the red aesthetic but either don’t want it to be too red or simply don’t want to spend the extra money on the SS trim. With an available black and Adrenaline Red perforated suede and Evotex seat trim (in addition to accents of red sprinkled throughout the vehicle), the RS trim does an excellent job at bridging the gap between the LT trim and the SS trim, providing the best of both.
Regardless of which trim anyone’s looking at, the Blazer EV goes well beyond the style you’d expect in any midsize SUV, and honestly, it goes well beyond the style you’d expect in an electric vehicle. The 2025 Blazer EV is, no doubt, a trendsetter and could be held up as a new standard for all-electric style.
Technology
With a powertrain as high-tech as the Ultium Platform, it naturally follows that the Blazer EV has high-end comfort and convenience technology. While it certainly goes beyond the color touchscreen, that’s where most people’s mind goes to first, and the 2025 Blazer EV’s screen is 17.7 inches. That’s far bigger than most touchscreens. You’ll feel the total electrified experience with a screen that size at the center.
The touchscreen has Google built-in, so drivers are well-connected during the drive, and personal driver profiles mean that whoever’s driving can have their preferred setup ready to go. Combine that touchscreen with an 11-inch driver information center, and you’re looking at 28.7 inches of display real estate up front. That’s over 2 feet of user-friendly screens to make your drive more connected than ever before.
With other tech features like a six-speaker audio system and ambient lighting (available in the RS trim), the Blazer EV provides the kind of interior that makes drivers want to go for a drive simply for the sake of being in the car. If you drive a direct-injection Blazer right now, when you see the Blazer EV, you honestly might have a hard time believing that it’s related to your current vehicle. It’s several cuts above, no doubt.
Blazing the Industry
The 2025 Blazer EV is changing the game. It’s changing the game for the Blazer, for EVs, and for the industry as a whole. As we are quickly seeing sedans take a backseat to midsize and compact SUVs, the Blazer EV gives a glimpse into what the future of the industry might look like, with this innovative midsize SUV offering performance, design, and technology that few thought would ever be possible for a vehicle in its class. Appealing to the traditional midsize SUV demographic as well as all-electric enthusiasts, the Blazer EV is paving the way for a whole new class of midsize SUVs and a whole new class of EVs. The Blazer is ahead of the game, to say the least. As we watch certain vehicles go out of style, the Blazer EV proves that there is much to look forward to as the industry adapts to a new electric age.
