The Chevy Blazer EV SS is a no-compromise SUV with supercar speed
Plus, a few more thoughts on Slate
Good morning, everyone. Another update coming from the home front. I have a lot of travel looming on the horizon through May and June, but I turned down a number of trips to stay at home and help with the puppy, and it's been great to spend more time on my couch than cramped in coach.
However, I did make a run down to Charlotte a few weeks back to drive the new Blazer EV SS, and I can finally talk about that.
Big power, better handling
After a somewhat protracted and painful gestation, General Motors current batch of electric SUVs, the Equinox EV and Blazer EV, have now been on the market long enough to know that they're well-received in an increasingly EV-skeptical market. Even their Japanese derivative, the Honda Prologue, is doing great, and I’ve been seeing them everywhere.
You know what that means: It's time to celebrate with a high-performance edition. It's the Chevy Blazer EV SS, two more letters creating an awkwardly long nomenclature but a surprisingly great SUV. With 615 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque, the new SS is quicker than any SS Chevy has ever produced. It's rated for a 3.4-second 0 - 60 time, but on my very first attempt, I hit 3.1. Methinks they're under-rating things a bit.
That may also be true for the range, rated at 303 miles on a charge, but I nearly met that despite some heavy-footed driving. The best part, though, is that the SS's suspension upgrades make for a better-driving SUV, one that's comfortable to drive despite the 22-inch wheels. It's a winner -- if you have $60,000 to spend.
Want more details? I have not one but two first-drive pieces for you to enjoy:
Read it at Capital One Auto Navigator
A few closing thoughts on the Slate unveiling
I'm guessing you're maybe sick of hearing about Slate at this point, especially if you've read my unveiling piece at The Verge and by subsequent newsletter entry digging into why I'm bullish about the company. I just wanted to add that I was pleasantly surprised and honestly encouraged to see the positive response to the company.
This is a pretty radical machine on many fronts, and I wasn't sure just how well it'd be received. But it's been great to see the DIY communities and plenty of others excited about this. The Slate team was adamant that they wanted this thing to not just be utilitarian transit but a way for people to truly express their personalities. Early responses seem to point to that idea landing.
But I was also surprised to see the amount of hatred directed towards the company thanks to the Bezos connection. On one hand, I get it, especially given the state of Tesla at the moment. On the other hand, this isn't Tesla. Bezos is just an investor. I still have a lot of questions about the overall funding structure of the company and what’s needed between now and production, but among all the questionable fundraising decisions made by EV startups in the past, my initial read is that Slate is relatively clean.
Read all the details on Slate at The Verge
Read my opinion on the launch right here
And that's it from me this week. I have a few other big features in the hopper that should be published soon, and I can't wait for you to read 'em. Until then, I'm headed out to the garage to try and make a little headway on our current pinball project machine, a 1993 Gottlieb Street Fighter II that's in dire shape. We just sent our last project, a complete rebuild of a 1985 Williams Comet, off to its new home this week. That one took about a full year to complete. With any luck we’ll have this next one wrapped up before 2026.
Anyhow, I hope your Sundays are or were relaxing and restorative.
