GM extends the Chevy Bolt's production shutdown due to battery issues

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Chevrolet’s woes over its Bolt EV and Bolt EUV battery issues are far from over, with the news that General Motors apparently doesn’t believe its supplier can make a battery without defects right now.

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GM has now issued recalls for all of its Bolt electric vehicles for the possibility of the battery catching fire when it is charged to more than 90 per cent of its capacity. In Canada, that involves a total of 18,732 vehicles; in total, including the U.S., the issue affects almost 141,000 vehicles.

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GM extends the Chevy Bolt's production shutdown due to battery issues Back to video

The company had already suspended production of new Bolts at its Orion Assembly plant, and according to the Detroit Free Press , will continue to idle the assembly lines until LG Chem, which makes the batteries, can supply stock that’s defect-free. GM also won’t repair any vehicles affected by the recall until it can swap out trouble-free batteries.

Dan Flores, a spokesperson for GM, told the publication that “If we took the battery stock that’s in the field right now or at a warehouse, we’re not confident that it is defect-free…We’re not going to start recall repairs or start building new Bolts until we’re confident LG will build defect-free products.”

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The battery cells are produced at LG Energy Solution in Holland, Michigan. That company is working with engineers from GM to fix the issue. They know what’s wrong — defective batteries have a torn anode tab and a folded separator — but so far they can’t figure out exactly where this is happening in the manufacturing process. It’s also not clear if every Bolt battery has this problem.

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It’s also uncertain who is going to pay the US$1.8 billion GM expects the recall to cost overall; the automaker is discussing reimbursement with LG Chem. The recall affects Bolt models from 2017 to 2022, along with the Bolt EUV, a brand-new vehicle for 2022.

In the Transport Canada recall, General Motors advises Bolt owners to adjust the vehicle’s charging level to a maximum of 90 per cent; to charge the vehicle more frequently and avoid depleting it below 113 kilometres of remaining range; and to avoid charging the vehicle indoors overnight, and to park it outside immediately after it’s been charged.

GM is planning to introduce all-electric vehicles across all of its brands, including Hummer, which will come back as a battery-powered sub-brand of GMC. According to Bloomberg Television, General Motors CEO Mary Barra said the automaker will continue to work with LG. She said the battery defects are unique to the Bolt, and that upcoming models will use GM’s proprietary Ultium battery system, jointly developed by the two companies.

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However, there may be at least some silver lining for those who own Bolts. Green Car Reports said that some owners of 2017-2019 models received communication from GM in August 2021, stating that it plans to replace their cars’ lithium-ion battery modules with all-new modules that will give them 8 per cent more battery capacity, with a corresponding increase in driving range. That should bring those older Bolts up to a range of 259 miles (416 kilometres), equivalent to the 2020-and-newer models, and up from their original range of 238 miles (383 kilometres). The battery’s warranty will also be increased.