Chevrolet’s already quietly paring down the Blazer EV lineup, and the ones that will get hurt the most are various types of enthusiasts.
The Chevrolet Blazer EV is the sole vehicle on sale that is available with front-wheel, all-wheel, and rear-wheel drive. But while that’s true for the 2025 model year, it’s going to become false for 2026. The rear-wheel-drive Blazer EV will not be making a return. The change in the lineup also lowers the model’s maximum EPA-rated range, eliminates the second-most-powerful variant, and undoubtedly is a loss for sunbelt state buyers and enthusiasts.
Chevrolet confirmed the lineup change to The Drive on Tuesday.
Chevrolet spokesperson Genna Young told The Drive, “In an effort to simplify the product lineup while still offering the most popular options for consumers, RWD will not be available beginning with the 2026 model year. The Chevrolet Blazer EV is now available in FWD, AWD, and performance AWD in the new SS trim.”
The rear-wheel-drive Blazer EV has a single permanent magnetic motor and gearset mounted in the rear with a final drive ratio of 11.63:1. Output is rated at 365 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque.
This powertrain was the longest-range Blazer EV on sale with an EPA-rated 334 miles of range. The next closest model is the new FWD Blazer EV, with 312 miles of range. The new SS model checks in with 303 miles, and the standard AWD model, which uses a dual-motor setup, can go 283 miles on a full charge.
That means the new range king of the Blazer EV lineup has an electric motor mounted up front rated at 220 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque with an 11.59:1 final drive ratio.
Factoring into all this is battery size. Blazer EVs with rear-wheel drive and the SS model currently get a larger 102-kWh battery pack, while front-wheel and dual-motor, all-wheel-drive models get a smaller 85-kWh pack. The packs are all the same lithium-ion NCMA chemistry, and no Blazer EV uses an LFP battery.
Blazer EVs with the larger 102-kWh battery can charge at a rate of up to 190 kW, while the smaller 85-kWh models have a lower 150-kW peak charge rate.
At $57,090, including a $1,495 destination charge, the rear-wheel-drive Blazer EV was also the second most expensive model. The most expensive trim is currently the SS at $62,590, and the new FWD range king costs $46,095, though that’s for a 2025 SUV. Pricing for 2026 is still to come.
www.thedrive.com
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