The new era of the all-electric police vehicle continues with the upcoming 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV PPV. Its recent unveiling follows Ford's reveal of the all-electric Lightning Pro SSV for law enforcement this summer. Chevy says the Blazer EV PPV is the first pursuit-rated all-electric Chevrolet in more than 60 years of providing vehicles for law enforcement.
“Chevy’s commitment to meeting the needs of law enforcement is rooted in decades of cooperation with police agencies across North America,” said Ed Peper, U.S. vice president of GM Fleet. “This purpose-built electrified Blazer EV PPV will have excellent pursuit performance, the reliability of a Chevrolet and fast-charging necessary to be a high-performance patrol vehicle.”
The Blazer EV PPV will be based off the Blazer EV SS. Chevy will share final specifications and range closer to launch, in the first quarter of 2024. The automaker says it will be offered with specific police content including skid plates, police-rated tired, steel wheels and additional emergency equipment support. It will also be capable of light-duty towing for items such as radar trailers, as well as the capability for bicycle racks when equipped a dealer-installed Class 1 trailer hitch.
Chevy says the vehicle will be equipped with the largest Ultium battery available - to support all the electrical needs of law enforcement. This is in contrast to gas-powered patrol cars. Chevy says many patrol cars spend a lot of their time idling, creating emissions from running a gasoline engine to support the electrical loads of a law enforcement vehicle.
Chevy says the Blazer EV PPV has a low center of gravity, thanks to the roughly 1,200-pound (544 kg) battery pack mounted low in the chassis. Brembo brakes based on the high-performance Blazer EV SS, are designed to offer superior stopping power.
“The Chevrolet Blazer EV PPV is designed to meet or exceed the demands of the nationally recognized Michigan State Police annual vehicle testing,” said Peper. “Its performance will be a game-changer.”
Photo Credit: Chevrolet.
The interior is specially outfitted for police use as well. Chevy says police-specific front seats are design accommodate duty belts and wearable gear, for greater comfort on patrol.
There are upfitting options, too. Standard unprogrammed steering wheel buttons allow upfitters to connect Push to Talk function for department radios and fingertip operation of emergency warning equipment. A driver spot lamp is also available. A standard upfitter wiring harnesses, similar to the Tahoe PPV, includes added connectors to reduce up-fit times. Chevy says the vehicle was designed with police-level electrical loads in mind, including a dedicated electrical center, standard upfitter wiring harnesses, and enough power available for the necessary law enforcement equipment. Chevy also offers a standard upfitter vehicle module which provides all necessary signals needed for aftermarket equipment to communicate with the vehicle.
The cargo area is modified for police use as well. To help hold more gear, the Blazer EV PPV offers a larger rear cargo capacity with the “civilian” model’s false floor removed to make room for aftermarket cabinets and organizers.
Photo Credit: Chevrolet.
Technology includes a standard Rear Camera Mirror for a wide field of view behind the vehicle. Chevy says this helps enhance visibility, as the majority of police vehicles equipped with prisoner partitions, cargo barriers and vertical weapon mounts that can obstruct the rear view.
The Blazer EV PPV 9C1 police package has standard vinyl flooring, a police-spec center console and a vinyl rear seat. A 9C3 Street Appearance package is also available and features carpeting, the regular-production center console and cloth rear seats.
“During the Blazer EV’s development, we spoke with many law enforcement groups across the U.S. and Canada to learn how an all-electric PPV would serve them best and the Blazer EV PPV delivers,” said Peper. “There is strong interest and we believe it has the opportunity to improve how police departments and their officers work with their patrol vehicles.”
The 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV PPV won't hit the road until 2024. It begins production in the first quarter of 2024, with pricing and order guide availability expected mid-2023. More information is available at www.gmfleet.com.
Photo Credit: Chevrolet.