General Motors (GM) has taken a ‘halting’ step in response to a series of reported issues with the new Chevrolet Blazer EV, opting to issue a stop-sale order to address software-related concerns. The decision follows a week of escalating problems, notably highlighted by InsideEVs reporter Kevin Williams, who encountered a breakdown in the Blazer EV during a road trip.
The stop-sale order, as reported by Automotive News, was implemented late Friday and is targeted at addressing specific software glitches affecting a “limited number” of Blazer EVs. Although the exact number of impacted vehicles remains undisclosed, approximately 1,000 Blazer EVs are currently available for sale across the country, according to Cars.com.
The software issues primarily revolve around the vehicle’s touchscreen functionality and occasional challenges experienced during charging attempts at certain public DC fast chargers. Kevin Williams’ firsthand experience during a cross-country drive from Ohio to North Carolina underscored these problems, culminating in the vehicle being stranded at an Electrify America station in rural Virginia.
The decision to halt sales comes on the heels of a critical evaluation by car-buying website Edmunds, which purchased a Blazer EV for assessment two months prior. Edmunds reported a litany of problems, including malfunctioning window switches, an infotainment display caught in a shutdown loop, multiple error messages, and failures in various driving functions. The publication expressed alarm, citing it as the “single longest list of major faults” ever encountered on a new car.
Notably, Blazer EV owners who reached out to InsideEVs after the initial report echoed similar concerns, further emphasizing widespread issues with GM’s Ultium-branded cars. Ultium denotes GM’s innovative common platform and battery setup intended to underpin all its future electric vehicles (EVs). Despite the pivotal role Ultium plays in GM’s ambition to achieve an all-electric lineup by 2035, the platform has faced setbacks throughout the year, marked by slow rollouts, delays, and issues with early examples of Ultium-based vehicles.
However, GM clarified that the stop-sale order on the Blazer EV is “not related to Ultium or Google Built-In,” attempting to separate the current software concerns from the overarching strategic direction and technological partnerships guiding the company’s electric future. As GM navigates these challenges, the automotive industry keenly observes how swiftly and effectively the company can address these issues to maintain momentum in the rapidly evolving electric vehicle market.
