The Chevrolet Blazer EV SS, more powerful than expected, will lead the Daytona 500
The new Chevrolet Blazer EV SS, the highest-performance version of the brand's new electric mid-size SUV, finally arrives in dealerships this winter, and will be seen on Sunday at the 67th running of the NASCAR Daytona 500 Series.
This will be the first time that a Blazer acts as the lead car for the legendary Floridian event. The first electric vehicle, too.
“Chevrolet has a long history in racing - it's in our DNA - and the Blazer EV SS is a testament to that,” said Chevrolet Vice President Scott Bell. We're thrilled that customers will get to see the Blazer EV SS - the fastest SS model we've ever produced - give momentum to such an iconic race this weekend.”
Alongside the Daytona 500, Chevrolet will also debut a NASCAR Blazer EV.R prototype, which is a collaboration between the series and partner manufacturers to explore new technologies. Details of the vehicle have not been provided, but it will be something similar to the electric prototype that NASCAR unveiled in July 2024 in conjunction with ABB.
More powerful than expected
Returning to the Blazer EV SS, the company now boasts 615 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, matching the figures of the new Cadillac Lyriq-V 2026. That's more than the 557 hp promised when the Blazer EV was unveiled in July 2022, and also more than the 595 hp announced with last October's pricing announcement.
With a suggested retail price of $69,999, the Blazer EV SS can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.4 seconds in Wide Open Watts (WOW) mode. That's nose-to-nose with the Jeep Wagoneer S and a tad faster than the Tesla Model Y Performance. Official range is estimated at 488 km.
Brembo front brakes, sport suspension and the Super Cruise hands-free driving system are also on the menu for this version.
Looking for a more affordable model? At the lower end of the scale, the Equinox EV's big brother starts at $54,499 (MSRP) in its front-wheel-drive LT version (220 hp, 243 lb-ft). The LT with all-wheel drive is now priced at $57,999, an increase of $1,000, because its power has been revised from 288 to 300 hp and its torque from 333 to 355 lb-ft. Maximum range has also been adjusted slightly, from 449 to 455 km.
