Chevrolet Blazer EV gets off to a bad start

The first examples of the new Chevrolet Blazer EV started to reach their customers in the USA this autumn, but things aren't going at all as they'd hoped due to a number of problems with the vehicle.

Last Friday, the company issued an order to suspend sales in order to remedy software errors, which they claim affect "a limited number" of units currently in dealer yards or in transit.

In most cases, we're talking about problems that manifest themselves on the on-board displays or, more rarely, with the recharging system when plugged into a DC public charging station. This is not a safety issue, however.

While The Car Guide didn't encounter any electronic glitches during its first two contacts with the Blazer EV, others were much less fortunate.

The team at the American website Edmunds say they found 23 different problems with the car they bought less than two months ago for a long-term test drive. This is "the longest list of major troubles Edmunds has ever seen in a new vehicle", reads a recent review. His Blazer EV, with just 1,600 miles (2,600 km) on the odometer, has been at the dealership for over two weeks, waiting for repairs.

Meanwhile, an InsideEVs journalist saw the test model entrusted to Chevrolet break down and fail to restart on the second day, after a charging session at a rapid charging station.

A rival to the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model Y, the Blazer EV is due to arrive in Canadian dealerships in January, if not early February. It has what it takes to make its mark, but only if it's reliable. Let's hope Chevrolet quickly corrects its various bugs and launch flaws... and learns from them for the Equinox EV, Silverado EV and other electric models to come.