There is finally some good news for Chevy Bolt EV and EUV owners. General Motors (GM) announced today that two LG battery plants in Michigan have resumed battery production.
In addition to the restart, LG is also adding capacity to ensure adequate supply to GM to replace the batteries in all 142,000+ Bolt EV and EUVs.
There will be a bit of a wait though as the automaker says the new batteries won’t begin shipping to dealers until at least mid-October.
“We’re grateful for the patience of owners and dealers as we work to advance solutions to this recall,” said Doug Parks, GM executive vice president, Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain. “Resuming battery module production is a first step and we’ll continue to work aggressively with LG to obtain additional battery supply. In addition, we’re optimistic a new advanced diagnostic software will provide more convenience for our customers.”
Although battery production has resumed, production of new cars is still on hold. Last week GM announced an extension of their production shutdown through mid-October. The company reiterated those plans today, saying the new defect-free batteries will be prioritized for existing owners.
“GM will continue to prioritize Chevy Bolt EV and EUV customers whose batteries were manufactured during specific build timeframes where GM believes battery defects appear to be clustered. The company has established a notification process that will inform affected customers when their replacement modules will be available.”
In addition GM is planning to implement new diagnostic software to better detect battery defects. The new software should be available within 60 days.
“The diagnostic software will be designed to detect specific abnormalities that might indicate a damaged battery in Bolt EVs and EUVs by monitoring the battery performance; alerting customers of any anomalies; and prioritizing damaged battery modules for replacement. It is GM’s intent that further diagnostic software will allow customers to return to a 100 percent state of charge once all diagnostic processes are complete.”
Until the battery has been replaced, GM is still recommending owners not park near other vehicles, limit their charging to 90%, not deplete the battery to below 70 miles (113km) of remaining charge, and to park outside immediately after charging.
Customers in Canada with questions about the recall are being advised to visit the Chevrolet Owner’s Center or contact their dealer directly. Customers in the US can visit www.chevy.com/boltevrecall or contact the Chevrolet EV Concierge 1-833-EVCHEVY.
