General Motors is cutting the price of its new Chevrolet Blazer EV by thousands of dollars as it resumes sales on Friday, following an 11-week pause to address software issues.
The updated 2024 Blazer EV models will now start at $50,195, which is $6,520 less than when it was initially launched in August. This price reduction also makes the vehicle fully eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit.
The sales halt, initiated in late December, came after customers and media reported problems with the vehicle’s infotainment and charging systems. Some issues included the inability to charge the battery, potentially leaving drivers stranded.
According to Baris Cetinok, GM’s vice president of product, software, and services, the problems were all software-related and have been resolved without requiring any physical changes to the vehicle. The issues ranged from small coding bugs to challenges in communication with certain public EV chargers.
“There isn’t a single, predominant root cause for all these problems,” Cetinok explained. “It’s a combination of rare cases coming together.”
Cetinok, who joined GM from Apple in September, emphasized that although these issues were rare, they were still disruptive. The stop-sale was initiated to prevent further complications for customers.
To resolve the issues, GM employed a “testing matrix,” which involved rewriting and testing the vehicle’s software code multiple times and conducting on-road tests across the country, according to Cetinok.
“We focused on getting it right rather than fast. Ideally, both would be achieved, but we opted to take the time to fix it properly,” he said. This process has also strengthened GM’s software validation testing for future vehicles.
In addition to fixing the software issues, GM made several changes based on early customer feedback. These updates include customizable multicolor ambient lighting and enhanced driver information graphics, such as a more visible battery percentage display.
However, GM will not reinstate Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in the Blazer or its future vehicles. Cetinok argues that GM’s own integrated software, which communicates with the vehicle’s internal systems, provides a better user experience and more functionality than third-party apps like CarPlay, which simply mirror a smartphone onto the vehicle’s screen.
“When you’re a company that creates both the hardware and software, you can offer more seamless experiences,” Cetinok said, stressing that vertical integration is the best approach.
GM stirred controversy last year when it announced that future EVs would not include Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which allow drivers to control functions like navigation and music from their smartphones.
This move toward vertical integration is also expected to boost GM’s revenue from potential infotainment subscriptions and services.
In 2021, GM estimated that its annual software and services revenue could reach between $20 billion and $25 billion, with 30 million connected vehicles by the end of the decade.
The new pricing for the Blazer EV reflects significant cuts. The base 2024 Blazer EV is now priced at $50,195, $6,520 less than when it first became available.
Higher-end “RS” models will see price reductions as well, with the all-wheel-drive version starting at $54,595 (down by $5,620), and the rear-wheel-drive version starting at $56,170. Pricing for additional models, including one under $50,000, will be announced as they become available later this year.
These new prices come before the application of the $7,500 federal tax credit, which the Blazer EV now qualifies for under the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. GM adjusted the materials sourcing for the vehicle to ensure full eligibility for the credit.
“We’re excited to bring the Chevrolet Blazer EV back to market, this time with a more competitive price, enhanced features, and the benefit of the full consumer tax credit,” said Scott Bell, Chevrolet’s Vice President, in a statement. “I encourage customers to visit their nearest Chevy dealership to test-drive this amazing vehicle.”
Pricing remains a key issue for EV adoption, which has been slower than anticipated. The recent price reductions bring the Blazer EV closer in cost to the gas-powered version of the Blazer, which ranges between $37,000 and $48,000, helping to bridge the gap for consumers.
