Once known as a rugged, petrol-burning SUV, the newest Blazer has gone electric. The nameplate, resurrected as a two-row ICE crossover in 2019, is the latest in a lineup built on GM’s Ultium BEV platform which underpins the GMC Hummer, Cadillac Lyriq, and other forthcoming models.

Aimed at petrolheads, not techies, the Blazer boasts aggressive proportions and design cues borrowed from Chevrolet’s iconic Camaro and Corvette. Ahead of the reveal in Los Angeles, we spoke with creative exterior design Raphael Molina and creative interior designer Justin Salmon to get the lowdown on the new BEV.

Car Design News: How did the design team approach the Blazer’s shift to electrification? What were the underlying goals?

Raphael Molina: Given this is an electric platform, we felt it was naturally poised to live in this low, wide, profile. The last-generation Blazer looked more like a performance vehicle, so this was just another chance to amplify all of that. We wanted to do something that could stand out in this segment and look more purposeful and in terms of performance and attack a different spectrum of customers.