Soon people will be able to buy a Chevrolet electric motor as easily as one of its internal combustion engines. After years of prototyping, the automaker plans to begin selling electric motors and batteries to consumers in the second half of next year.
And to demonstrate what can be done with this technology, Chevrolet detailed the conversion of the 1977 K5 Blazer to an electric vehicle. The Performance team carried out the procedure with a near-production-ready eCreate engine kit.
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Chevrolet said roughly 90% of the new components installed in the refreshed Blazer are Bolt EV components straight from the factory, including the 200 horsepower engine that forms the basis of the upgrade. The Bolt also borrows a 60 kWh battery that the team installed in the car’s cargo area. Using industrial controllers and wiring harnesses, she was able to bring features like regenerative braking to the Blazer. When converting the machine, much of the transmission did not have to be replaced: the transfer case, propeller shaft and axles remained intact.
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It looks like the company will be selling additional parts to turn the old gas guzzler into an electric car. In the case of the K5, the manufacturer installed an aftermarket electric steering kit, an electric pump, and an electronic controller so that the Blazer’s analog fuel gauge starts showing the remaining battery charge.
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While the automaker hasn’t announced pricing for the upgrade package, it said it plans to certify dealers and aftermarket retailers to install them. The company is also exploring the possibility of producing high performance eCrate motors and batteries in a variety of configurations.
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