A Peek at the New Chevy Blazer EV Police Pursuit Package

The Chevrolet Blazer EV PPV, the nation’s first purpose-built pursuit-rated electric vehicle, can reach a range of 250 miles on a full charge. That’s according to a newly released estimate from GM Envolve. The company’s latest release on the new vehicle — a YouTube video — went in depth on what the vehicle can offer to law enforcement fleets.

"This vehicle will be a game-changer bringing unprecedented features, power, and functionality in the first-of-its-kind all electric police vehicle," GM Envolve Government Sales Manager Cindy Towe noted in a statement to Government Fleet. "We have incorporated all the winning capabilities from our traditional ICE police portfolio while leveraging our expertise with electric vehicles. From patrolling to pursuing, this vehicle can handle it all seamlessly!"

Here’s a breakdown of what fleets can expect.

Built to Withstand the Demands of Police Work

Built on the Ultium Platform — the foundation of GM’s EV strategy — the Blazer EV PPV has a 400-volt all-wheel drive propulsion system capable of 498 hp and 531 lb.-ft. of torque.

The Ultium Platform architecture enables a near 50/50 front-to-rear weight distribution for the vehicle, providing a lower center of gravity resulting in a vehicle that can meet the demands of law enforcement.

Features like a certified speedometer, heavy-duty suspension, underbody skid plates, and Firestone Firehawk pursuit tires mounted on 20-in. steel wheels to cover a 6-piston Brembo front brake calipers come standard on the vehicle.

The vehicle has a projected top speed of 130 MPH without aftermarket equipment.

The Blazer EV PPV has 15.3-in. rotors for increased braking durability and performance to make it capable of handling tasks like high-speed pursuits with sudden stops.

All the Bells and Whistles for Quick Entries and Exits

Remote start comes standard along with remote keyless entry and passive power mode. This allows officers to keep their remote fob fastened on their duty belt for an entire shift. By pressing brake pedal when entering the vehicle, officers can start the vehicle using contactless ignition. The gear shifter operates only when the key fob is detected.

Standard protected idle permits the vehicle to be unlocked and fully powered, but unable to be driven without a remote key fob detected. Exiting the vehicle with the key fob will automatically arm protected idle. This allows officers to quickly get in and out of their vehicles in the midst of incidents where every second matters, like foot pursuits.

Once activated, protected idle will keep the vehicle powered and unlocked so that the mounted computer and other emergency equipment will not require a reboot.

This also allows K-9 vehicles to remain in power to ensure a comfortable interior for the K-9 officers. It’s important to note that a low battery condition will not allow the system to activate.

Powering the Blazer EV PPV

The 105-kW battery allows for a GM-estimated range of 250 miles on a full charge with traditional emergency equipment, as noted above. A level 2 240-volt plug-in charger comes standard with the vehicle; the ability to add 23 miles of range per hour at 32 is available with this charging option. A level 2 hardwired 48-amp charger can add up to 37 miles of range per hour.

The Blazer EV PPV is capable of high-powered 19.2 kW 80-amp level 2 charging with the ability to add up to 52 miles of range per hour. The vehicle is also designed to accept 400-volt DC fast charging at 190 kW, which can add up to 71 miles of range in 10 minutes, or 141 miles of range in approximately 30 minutes.

Officers can regenerate energy back into the battery using a feature on the steering wheel that compliments one-pedal driving mode while reducing brake wear.

Upfitting and Equipping the Blazer EV PPV

A standard 400-volt to 12-volt DC power module on the vehicle is dedicated to the demands of emergency equipment, and is engineered for 100 amps of continuous load.

Based on traditional emergency equipment, the Blazer EV PPV has a projected idle time of 20 to 50 hours on a single full charge.

A standard rear camera mirror allows for a wider, less obstructed rearview when compared to a traditional rearview mirror. This can help prevent obstructions from things like prisoner partitions, cargo barriers, or K-9 inserts.

Additionally, an 8-in. screen displays the backup camera view while in reverse to assist officers.

Every Blazer EV PPV has 10 switchable inputs and outputs. A graphical user interface is available to customize specific equipment needs with more than 150 operating parameters.

A heavy-duty vinyl steering wheel has two backside button switches that have been repurposed to be used to operate upfitter-supplied emergency equipment like lighting.

The vehicle is equipped with cloth police-specific front seats contoured to accommodate duty belts. The seats’ ergonomic design allow for easy entry and exit.

Agencies can choose from the 9C1 model or the 9C3 model. The former has a frontline patrol interior, with cloth front and vinyl rear seating, as well as heavy-duty vinyl flooring, and a center console delete to make room for aftermarket equipment. The ladder has a civilian style interior for law enforcement positions like supervisors or detectives.

The Blazer EV PPV also provides adequate head- and legroom for rear passengers when an aftermarket partition is installed, without sacrificing valuable space from the officers up front.

In the trunk, heavy-duty rear manual liftgate struts are designed for maximum head clearance. A false rear cargo floor can be removed if more space is needed for aftermarket organizers or easier access to gear.

Fleets can also choose a dealer-installed rear trailer hitch receiver and wire harness to accommodate patrol bicycle racks and radar or traffic control trailers up to 1,000 lbs.

Getting Behind the Wheel

In its latest ad campaign for the Blazer EV PPV, GM featured two officers who test-drove the vehicle. Both noted the quick acceleration of the vehicle. One officer noted that she was able to make turns quickly and maneuver it wherever needed without feeling like the steering was tight.

She also noted the ergonomics of the vehicle seating, and the amount of room for rear seat passengers.

Officers also noted how quiet the vehicle is, which will allow for a more covert arrival to incidents.

The Blazer EV PPV is set to launch in early 2024, according to a GM Envolve spokesperson.

Photo Note: Preproduction model shown throughout. The actual production model may vary.