logo
Chevy Has Quietly Discontinued the Rear-Drive Blazer EV

Chevy Has Quietly Discontinued the Rear-Drive Blazer EV

Car and Driver20 hours ago

A new fleet order form shows that Chevrolet has quietly discontinued the rear-drive version of the Blazer EV.
The rear-drive configuration was previously only available on the RS trim.
For 2026, the Blazer EV RS will still be available in front- and all-wheel drive configurations.
The Chevrolet Blazer EV lineup is a bit strange. For 2025, customers could choose from front-, rear-, or all-wheel drive—all on the same model. No more. A new order form on General Motors' fleet website shows that Chevy is killing the rear-drive version for 2026.
Chevrolet
During its one year of availability, the RWD Blazer EV was locked to the RS trim, which, confusingly, could also be ordered in front- or all-wheel-drive configurations. For 2026, the RS trim will still have an option for powertrain configuration, but now it will be narrowed to a choice between FWD and AWD.
While front-drive models come with a single 220-hp electric motor, rear-drive models featured a much more potent 365-hp motor for the rear axle. While we never got the chance to fully test a rear-drive Blazer EV RS during its one-model-year lifespan, we did get to drive one and found it to be downright lively.
Apart from dropping the RWD version, the 2026 Blazer lineup gets a handful of visual changes, including a two-tone roof delete and a new Polar White Tricoat paint that replaces last year's Iridescent Pearl Tricoat option. There's also a new Tech Bronze package that adds 22-inch bronze wheels and a slew of black exterior decals.
Car and Driver reached out to Chevy to confirm the configuration change, but has not heard back at the time of this article's posting. We will update this story when we hear back.
Jack Fitzgerald
Associate News Editor
Jack Fitzgerald's love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn't afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. Read full bio

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Drivers call for safety fixes at Bird Road and US 1, citing ongoing hazards
Drivers call for safety fixes at Bird Road and US 1, citing ongoing hazards

CBS News

time21 minutes ago

  • CBS News

Drivers call for safety fixes at Bird Road and US 1, citing ongoing hazards

Some Miami drivers are raising safety concerns about the intersection of Bird Road and US 1. Drivers are calling the intersection, already one of the busiest corridors in the country, increasingly dangerous due to confusing lane usage and reckless driving behavior. Residents report years of dangerous driving "This situation has existed for years, it's just only now getting worse and becoming even more frustrating," said JC Lopez, who drives through the intersection multiple times a week on his commute. Lopez said eastbound drivers coming from Coral Gables into Coconut Grove frequently misuse the center lane. According to Lopez, although the center and left lanes are designated for left turns only, some drivers use the center lane to merge right through the intersection, cutting off others. "They'll use that center lane to merge into the right lane as if it were a normal thing, as if it were allowed," Lopez said. "And it's very dangerous because they're merging into a lane that can actually turn left, so at any time they have the right to turn left, but there's somebody trying to merge right." CBS News Miami visited the intersection several times and witnessed the same behavior. Pedestrians also concerned about speed, distraction Paul Bauch, who walks through the intersection almost daily, said he feels unsafe due to speeding and distracted drivers. "People not realizing they need to move and get over at the last minute, no one is paying attention, everyone is on their phone," Bauch said. "All those cars are flying by at like 80 miles an hour like two feet away from you—it's kind of scary, frankly." Following a complaint from Lopez, the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office said its motorcycle unit conducted a traffic enforcement detail at the end of May and issued several citations and warnings, though it did not disclose how many. FDOT proposes changes to improve safety Despite existing signage and road markings, Lopez believes more needs to be done. "I think this could be rectified really with some simple changes and some more signage," he said. CBS News Miami contacted the City of Miami, Miami-Dade County, and the Florida Highway Patrol to determine who is responsible for improvements. All agencies directed inquiries to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), which shared that a recent traffic study recommended enhancements. "A recent traffic study was recently conducted in the area. Based on the findings, the study recommends enhancements to pavement markings and overhead signage," FDOT said. "The final lane configuration will maintain the existing two eastbound left-turn lanes. The current outside lane, however, will be reconfigured to accommodate both right-turn and through movements." FDOT did not provide a specific start date but said the changes are expected to improve safety and traffic flow.

GM Plans $4 Billion Investment in U.S. Manufacturing
GM Plans $4 Billion Investment in U.S. Manufacturing

Wall Street Journal

time42 minutes ago

  • Wall Street Journal

GM Plans $4 Billion Investment in U.S. Manufacturing

General Motors said it is planning to invest about $4 billion over the next two years in its U.S. manufacturing plants, with an eye to increasing production of both gas and electric vehicles. Facilities in Orion Township, Mich., Kansas City, Kan., and Spring Hill, Tenn., will expand finished vehicle production of several of the company's most popular vehicles, GM said Tuesday. The Orion facility will begin production of gas-powered full-size SUVs and light duty pickup trucks in early 2027, and production of the gas-powered Chevrolet Blazer will begin at Spring Hill in 2027.

GM's EV Sales Are Booming. But Can It Catch Tesla?
GM's EV Sales Are Booming. But Can It Catch Tesla?

Motor 1

timean hour ago

  • Motor 1

GM's EV Sales Are Booming. But Can It Catch Tesla?

If you work on any of GM's electric vehicles, give yourself a pat on the back. This past week, the company released a full list of EV sales figures for the first quarter of 2025, and the numbers are shockingly good (pun intended). GM has already delivered more than 62,000 EVs in the US through May, with last month being the second-best in the automaker's history for EV sales. That marks an impressive 94 percent year-over-year increase. GM achieved a 15.5-percent EV market share in Q1, putting it in second place domestically, just behind Tesla. The question is: Can GM take the crown before the end of 2025? GM Vs Tesla Chevrolet Equinox EV While those numbers are impressive for GM, the company still has a way to go if it wants to catch Tesla . According to Cox Automotive , Tesla sold an estimated 128,100 electric vehicles between January and May—nearly double what GM has sold. And that's with an 8.6-percent decrease year-over-year. Tesla also recently introduced the updated Model Y and has plans for more models later in the year. Through April, though, GM's EV sales were up a whopping 94 percent, spearheaded largely by Cadillac and Chevrolet. Cadillac's EVs were up by 37 percent, while Chevy's EV sales improved by an impressive 119 percent, led by the Blazer EV and Equinox EV. GMC also saw a large bump in sales from the Hummer EV and electric Sierra pickup. Sales (Through May) Percent +/- General Motors 62,000 Units +94% Tesla 128,100 Units -8.6% GM currently offers 13 electric vehicles throughout its portfolio of brands, ranging from compact SUVs to trucks. Chevrolet alone has become the fastest-growing EV brand of the group, with more than 37,000 vehicles sold through May. That edges out Ford, which moved just 34,000 EVs in the same period. Chevrolet currently has three EVs in its portfolio: The Blazer EV, Equinox EV, and Silverado EV (not counting the BrightDrop electric cargo van). "Customers are responding in record numbers to our world-class portfolio of electric and gas-powered vehicles," notes Rory Harvey, executive VP and president of global markets. GM's Best Gas Sellers 2025 Buick Enclave Photo by: Buick It's not just the EV side of the business that's seeing sustained success. GM's massive portfolio of gas and hybrid vehicles is also seeing record numbers already this year. Buick was one of the biggest movers early in 2025. Sales for the luxury automaker were up 39 percent through April, with the Enclave, Encore GX, and Envista being the brand's top sellers. The new Enclave alone was up 39 percent—the nameplate's best sales quarter since 2019. As a whole, this was Buick's best sales quarter since 2006. Cadillac wasn't far behind with a sales increase of 21 percent, marking nearly three straight years of retail sales growth. The Escalade had its best Q1 to date, as did Cadillac's V-Series performance cars—likely aided by the arrival of the updated Blackwing models. All told, Cadillac reeled in its best retail market share since 2014. Percent +/- Buick +39% Cadillac +21% Chevrolet +14% GMC +18% GMC had its best sales quarter ever, with an 18 percent increase. The Sierra was up 13 percent, and the Canyon jumped an impressive 66 percent. But the Acadia was the brand's biggest mover, improving by 73 percent. The Yukon and Yukon XL also had their best sales quarters since 2007, improving by 29 percent. By percentages, Chevrolet saw the smallest increase—just 14 percent. But, it was still the brand's best quarter since 2019. The new Trax was up 57 percent, the Traverse jumped by 62 percent, and the Colorado pickup improved by 73 percent. This also marked the best Q1 for the Tahoe since 2007, with a 28 percent increase. There's still plenty of time in the year to see how GM fairs, but so far, the automaker is clearly on the right track. The Latest Sales News 2025 EV Sales So Far: GM Wins, Tesla Loses Cadillac Has Sold Fewer Than 25 Celestiqs So Far Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Source: General Motors Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store