GM Halts Chevy Blazer EV Sales After Early Software Problems

Photo credit: Kirsten Korosec

General Motors has temporarily halted sales of the all-new Chevy Blazer EV after a series of software problems occurred in some of the first vehicles delivered.

The automaker told TechCrunch that owners are experiencing issues with the SUV's screens and with charging at DC Fast stations, confirming previous reports from journalists who had access to test vehicles. GM said its engineering teams are working “around the clock” on a solution and that once it's ready, Blazer EV owners will need to take their vehicles to a dealer for a software update.

GM also claimed that a “limited number” of vehicles were affected, but did not provide a number, and that the issues were “not safety-related, nor related to Ultium or Google Built-In.”

The Blazer EV had its official launch just a few weeks ago, but two media outlets soon had major problems with their longer-term test cars. Kevin Williams of InsideEVs saw his Blazer's infotainment screen go completely blank and unusable. He then had trouble charging the car, including a warning to have the vehicle serviced immediately, and eventually stalled mid-trip.

Edmunds, meanwhile, collected an extensive list of warning messages on its own long-term test vehicle before turning it over to a Chevy dealer, where it remains.

It's a bad start for a vehicle that's supposed to be such a crucial part of the Chevy lineup going forward. It's above the entry-level Bolt but below GM's more expensive electric vehicles like the Cadillac Lyriq. It is also one of the first mass-market vehicles based on GM's new Ultium platform, which is designed to support a range of electric vehicles with new electrical architecture, new batteries and new software.

This story has been updated with additional information from General Motors.