Everything We Know About The Chevy Blazer EV Recall

Summary

• GM halted sales of the Chevy Blazer EV after new customers reported software problems, leading to a recall but not due to safety concerns.
• The release of other trims and the eligibility of the Blazer EV for federal tax credits are uncertain due to the recall and new regulations.
• Despite the setback, GM’s overall sales and electric vehicle sales have been strong, and the brand has shown expertise in the electric vehicle space. The success of the Blazer EV is crucial for GM’s carbon-neutral goals.

Buzz has surrounded the release of the Chevy Blazer EV since the all-electric SUV was first announced. However, eager customers barely had time to settle into driving the Blazer before General Motors (GM) put a pause on further deliveries of the electric vehicles. Owners of Chevy’s newest EV were asked to bring their sparkling-new vehicles to a dealership in order to update the cars with Chevy’s progressing software to fix the issue, according to GM.

Recalls are a common occurrence in the auto world. While issues have decreased in recent years as technology progresses, software systems can bring a series of new obstacles. Here is everything we know so far about GM’s decision to pause Chevy’s newest release.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including General Motors, Chevrolet, and CNN.

Software Issues Are At The Heart Of The Recall

Chevrolet’s parent company, GM, ceased sales of the Chevy Blazer EV as soon as new customers complained. The Blazer was released in August with other trim styles delivered in the fall and a third trim style hitting dealerships in the spring of 2024. The electric vehicle was expected to shake up the EV market and set a high standard for moderately-priced EVs with above-average range and performance specs.

What We Know So Far

Right before Christmas Day, GM announced the historic automaker would halt the sales of Chevrolet’s 100 percent electric SUV. The announcement came after several Chevy Blazer EV owners reported that they experienced software problems when operating the vehicles. The recall, GM reassured, was not due to safety concerns nor a large-scale issue with the Google technology or Chevy-branded Ultium system.

“We’re aware that a limited number of customers have experienced software-related quality issues with their Blazer EV,” Chevrolet’s vice president, Scott Bell, informed CNN. “Customer satisfaction is our priority and as such, we will take a brief pause on new deliveries.”

GM said the updates to the software were in the process of being developed.

EV’s High-Tech Is Both A Blessing And A Curse

Vehicle recalls aren’t rare. But while technology and artificial intelligence may streamline the manufacturing process and decrease parts recalls, high-tech systems in vehicles have their own unique set of problems, insisted CNN. In 2015, GM spent over four billion dollars on vehicle recalls due to parts issues. In 2023, vehicle recalls decreased dramatically, reported Forbes.

Although high-tech software that detects and often prevents faulty parts from going unnoticed may save manufacturers’ bottom line, it doesn’t mean the software itself is immune to bugs and the occasional glitch. These software issues are typically simple to fix, as in the case of Tesla and its various waves of tech hiccups. For example, in 2022 Tesla’s cars were reportedly rolling through stop signs due to the brand’s autonomous driving function.

Similarly, in December 2023, around two million Teslas were recalled due to the same self-driving feature that regulators blamed for nearly 1,000 crashes. Previously, Tesla’s high-tech capabilities have allowed for software updates to be sent straight to the vehicles without the hassle of taking back vehicles and fixing them in-house.

There’s No Word If The Release Of Other Trims Will Be Affected Or Not

The Chevy Blazer EV is coming in waves. In the summer of 2023, the middle-of-the-road, 2LT and RS, trim styles sped into the all-electric SUV market. However, the base style, the 1LT, and much-anticipated high-performance version, the SS, wasn’t expected until the following fall and winter months. Without a set resumption of Blazer sales, it is unknown if the recall and pause in deliveries will impact the SS release come springtime.

GM Expects Blazer, Among Others, To Be Ineligible For Federal Tax Credit

Despite the hype, the Chevy Blazer EV is not expected to qualify for the 2024 federal tax credits. Previously, electric vehicles and hybrids have been eligible for up to a $7,500 tax credit. The incentive encouraged potential buyers to commit to the all-electric lifestyle despite a higher initial price tag attached to electric vehicles.

GM said the Cadillac Lyriq along with the Chevy Blazer EV will likely fail to meet the Biden administration’s new regulations. The U.S. government now requires electric vehicle parts to be primarily manufactured domestically or from approved outside sources. China, notably, is not on that list of import approvals. China’s position as a magnate in the electric vehicle business with a huge share of the production and sales sides of the market isn’t in the best interest of the U.S., reported the Wall Street Journal.

The new federal regulations aren’t new though. Rather, the increasingly tightening tax credits are a continuation of the Trump administration’s 25 percent tax on Chinese auto products imported into the states. The regulations aim to keep China’s monopolizing presence on the global EV scene in check. However, Chevy isn’t completely out of luck. While the Chevy Bolt models are likely to remain eligible, the new regulations have shook up the brand along with the electric vehicle market as a whole.

Chevy Blazer EV Technical Specifications

(Data sourced from Chevrolet)

How The Recall Will Impact Sales And The Road To Net Zero

Simply put, GM is having a stellar year. In the third quarter of 2023, GM said that sales were up 21 percent. Compared to the second quarter, electric vehicle sales specifically increased by a whopping 28 percent. The full year was expected to end on a high note with an overall 19-percent increase in sales, according to GM, which will be confirmed once the official numbers are year-end are out. The cause? New pickup and SUV releases. Alongside the sales boom, company shares also went up seven-percent, according to CBS News.

While Buick reported the largest boom in vehicle sales increases — 54 percent — Chevrolet claims the third quarter and overall year-to-date sales are the brand’s best since 2019. Specifics about Chevy Blazer EV numbers have yet to be made public.

Don’t Write Off EVs Just Yet

While the Chevy Blazer EV’s unfortunate debut may cause potential EV-buyers to question reliability across the board, the brand has shown its expertise in the electric vehicle space — just on a smaller scale. The Chevy Bolt EV had record sales in 2022, with a nearly 50 percent increase.

Additionally, in 2023, the Bolt saw even better results. Bolt EV and Bolt EUV sales rose by 13 percent compared to the second quarter reporting period and resulted in the model’s best year-to-date sales despite last year’s hard-to-beat numbers. The Bolt briefly left the market before GM announced its resurgence. Recalls can be blamed for its initial cancelation despite record sales.

Chevy is quite reliant on the Blazer EV. With a 2035 deadline for all new U.S. light-duty vehicles to have zero tailpipe emissions looming closer and closer, it is pretty imperative that the Blazer EV is a success and back on shelves as soon as possible. The 100 percent electric vehicle, along with other electric and hybrid models, also plays a key role in reaching GM’s 2040 goal to become totally carbon-neutral.