Yahoo Autos GM Built an Electric K5 Blazer and It's Awesome
Behold the third classic eCrate conversion from Chevrolet. This 1977 Chevrolet Blazer originally came with a 400-cubic-inch V-8 and a three-speed automatic, good for a blistering 175 horsepower. And while a fuel-injected LS is the go-to for a powertrain swap, GM replaced the cast-iron, carbureted engine with its eCrate electric conversion for SEMA 360. As with the company’s previous EV builds, the pack uses parts borrowed from the Chevrolet Bolt, including a 60-kWh battery pack, a DC-to-AC power inverter for powering the electric motor, a DC-to-DC power converter for running the rest of the truck’s low-voltage systems, a wiring harness, and water pumps for heating and cooling the battery pack.
The motor’s good for 200 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque, now mated to an electronically controlled four-speed automatic. As for the rest of the drivetrain? It’s as it was when the truck rolled off the line. The transfer case and axles are untouched. GM says the package has a range that’s on par with what the K5 had when new. Given that the truck had a 31-gallon fuel tank, and most K5 owners report around 8 mpg city, that works out to around 280 miles. Not bad.
There’s no word on how much the conversion kit will cost, but we do know it will available next year. The Blazer-E joins GM’s E-10 electric pickup and the eCopo Camaro in the company’s fleet of vintage electric vehicles.
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