Living the EV Life with the 2025 Chevrolet Blazer RS: A Journey of Power, Patience, and Parking Lot Zen

Ever since we took delivery of the 2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV RS rear-wheel-drive model, it’s been a mix of pleasant surprises and minor frustrations—sort of like adopting a new pet. Sleek, modern, and undeniably stylish, this electric SUV has settled into our lives with the same ease as a smartphone. But just like a smartphone, living with it long-term reveals quirks that go beyond the showroom glitz. It’s the reality of EV ownership in 2025: a blend of cutting-edge convenience and the occasional, unexpected wrinkle.

Public charging, for one, has improved dramatically. Five years ago, trying to plan a road trip with only public fast charging would have been a logistical headache. Today, thanks to expanded access to Tesla’s Supercharger network and growing infrastructure in cities and suburbs alike, we’ve found it surprisingly manageable to live EV-only, even without a home charger. It helps that our Blazer EV came with a NACS (North American Charging Standard) adapter right out of the box—essentially our golden ticket into Tesla’s once-exclusive charging world.

We discovered just how handy that was on our very first road trip, a loop from Los Angeles to East Tucson and back. We glided through Supercharger stations, basking in the high-speed kW blessings Tesla was kind enough to share. It’s one thing to read about fast charging; it’s another to see the needle jump from 21 percent to 91 percent in under an hour, while sipping a cold drink and scrolling social media in air-conditioned comfort. In our best session, the Blazer pulled 181 kW initially and held strong above 100 kW up to 65 percent charge—better than many competitors, and a win in the world of range anxiety 😌

Back home in LA, day-to-day charging has been more of a patchwork quilt than a structured routine. The ChargePoint Level 2 stations at our El Segundo office have become a sort of unofficial pit stop. Our car doesn’t max out those units, which offer only 6.1 kW, but over an eight-hour workday we still manage to grab about 137 miles of range. That’s more than enough for grocery runs, school pickups, and impromptu drives up PCH when the weekend mood strikes.

We’ve also gotten into the habit of opportunistic charging, which has its own charm. There’s a Flo curbside charger tucked discreetly around the corner from my gym. It’s always a little thrill to plug in, break a sweat for an hour, and return to find 33 miles of extra range in the tank. For just over three bucks, it’s cheaper than a smoothie and far more satisfying. You begin to appreciate these small charging victories in everyday life—like parking karma in a crowded lot.

Range has rarely been an issue. The Blazer’s EPA rating of 334 miles is generous, and in real-world terms, we’re seeing about 275 miles on mixed-use days. We never feel tethered to a charger or constantly glancing at the remaining miles. And when we do need to top up, the myChevrolet app has made it easier. It keeps tabs on charging progress, shows the estimated completion time, and even helps us locate where we parked if we leave it charging curbside and then get distracted by a spontaneous brunch 🍳

There’s even a clever integration with Tesla’s system via the app. When we use a Supercharger, Chevy’s app opens a Tesla browser-like interface, sparing us the need to bounce between two separate apps. It’s one of those thoughtful digital touches that makes EV ownership feel just a little bit more premium.

That said, it’s not all smooth sailing on this electric highway. One of the more annoying quirks we’ve dealt with is the charge port placement. Unlike Tesla’s conveniently rear-positioned ports, the Blazer’s sits just ahead of the driver’s door—fine for traditional stations, but borderline infuriating at older V3 Tesla Superchargers. The cables there are short, the stalls are designed for rear-plugged Teslas, and unless you get an end spot or an unusually generous layout, you’re often taking up two spots. Every time I pull into one of these stations, there’s a moment of anxiety. Will someone yell at me for hogging space? Will I have to do a 12-point turn to angle the SUV just right? So far, Tesla drivers have been understanding—or just used to seeing the chaos.

Charging speed is another area where Chevrolet still trails behind. The Hyundai Ioniq 5, for instance, continues to impress with its 800-volt architecture, sustaining jaw-dropping rates even under real-world conditions. When we tested the Blazer on an Electrify America 350-kW charger, it averaged about 111 kW from 5 to 80 percent. Respectable, but noticeably slower than the Ioniq 5’s 186 kW average. It's enough to make you sigh just a little while watching those electrons trickle in slower than they could.

Then there’s the odd issue of the Blazer threatening to shut down mid-charge if you’re just chilling in the car. It’s not a safety issue—more of a software nag. Twice now, the system’s warned us it would power down and turn off the air conditioning unless we poked a button or tapped the brake. This seems like a design oversight, especially considering that many people treat charging sessions as downtime. I often use that window to catch up on emails or video calls, all while basking in the Blazer’s solid Wi-Fi hotspot. Having to keep the system awake feels like being nagged while trying to relax.

And yet, these minor drawbacks haven’t dulled the overall experience. There’s a charm to the learning curve of EV life. You begin to see your city differently—not just in terms of roads and destinations, but in terms of range zones and charging opportunities. A visit to the in-laws becomes a range buffer calculation. A late-night ice cream run is judged against your battery percentage. But it’s all part of the rhythm.

There’s an undeniable ease to this Chevy, an everyday competence that makes you forget about gasoline altogether. Even with its imperfections—the fiddly charger port, the sleepy software, the average charge curve—it’s a car that fits into your life naturally. You don’t have to force it, and that in itself is a quiet revolution.

Charging isn’t just about plugging in; it’s about lifestyle, expectations, and little moments of tech-driven satisfaction. With the 2025 Blazer EV RS, it feels less like a compromise and more like a very modern kind of normal. One where electrons replace gallons, and the rhythm of the road hums just a little differently ⚡