GM’s Chevy Bolt EV and EUV are finally back in production following battery fire recall

Image: GM

The production of the Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV has been resumed by GM and they now have access to a supply of new battery packs that should be safe from fire hazard. After the Chevrolet Bolt was recalled due to potential battery fires affecting all model years, a complete production freeze on the Bolt EV and EUV vehicles was instituted.

Steve Majoros, Chevy's VP of marketing, said on the call that the goal is to exceed business metrics. The Bolt's comeback plan includes catching up with new Bolt EV and EUV orders, as well as a new TV ad campaign, which coincides with the opening day of Major League Baseball.

Majoros said that they have a very good reliable supply coming in to make sure they can handle all of the current needs. There are 6,700 Bolt vehicles in stock at dealerships waiting for new batteries, Majoros said, and that battery supply will be prioritized for current owners affected by the recall rather than unsold inventory.

Majoros didn't say how many Bolt owners are still waiting on new batteries, how quickly they're being replaced, or any other statistics related to the recall. When a customer buys a new battery pack, Chevy says it will come with an updated eight-year, 100,000 mile warranty, plus an additional 20 miles of range. The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration is in close communication with GM about the status of the faulty battery replacements.

The original 2020 recall from GM included 68,000 Bolt EV worldwide but later grew to around 140,000 of the electric vehicles, affecting even the newest Bolt EUV. Majoros says that GM is in a better place in regards to the Bolt EV and EUV supply chain. The same can be said of Chevy's Camaro sports car, which was halted this week due to supply chain issues.

Image: GM

Kevin Kelly of GM said that old batteries from the Bolts will be recycled or reuse, but he didn't say how they would be recycled or if the corrected batteries would share any parts with the old ones. Majoros mentioned that the new batteries are not the same as the ones used in GM's Ultium battery platform, which is used with partner companies like Honda and also in other GM electric vehicles.

The meeting showed that GM spends more on the Bolt EV and EUV than any other product in its lineup. The most expensive product of the company is the Chevy Silverado pickup truck. The larger EUV will be manufactured twice as many as the smaller hatch. The Bolts will join the other electric vehicle offerings that are currently in production.