Photo: General Motors
Chevrolet Bolt EVs are still flabbergasted with the company’s latest recommendation for it: parking their cars at least 50 feet (15 meters) from other vehicles and structures. They demand a fast repair for their vehicles or that the company buys them back as soon as possible. While that discussion happens, Reuters informs that General Motors has decided to push back the EV production restart to mid-October. The reason would be the car recall.
According to Reuters, GM only wants to manufacture new Bolt EVs and EUVs when they is confident that LGES (LG Energy Solution) cells are trustworthy. This is also why the recall is taking so long to start. GM has already disclosed that it is teaching LGES some quality metrics and trying to “clean up the manufacturing process.” That very announcement makes it seem that getting back to production in mid-October is optimistic.
The American automaker said that it did not expect to start the recall before November because it would need the battery packs to be spotless. If it will only get them to the right quality standards in that month, production should only start by them as well. It may also be the case that GM will first use the good batteries first to get manufacturing going in mid-October. If that wer really the case, Bolt EV owners having to park 50 feet away from anything else would comprehensively get mad.
On top of the battery issue, GM is also facing the semiconductors’ shortage like all other car companies. Although that only makes the situation worse for the Bolt EV, the chips that are not used in its production can be put in vehicles with fewer reputation problems and higher sales volumes.
The problem with such a strategy is that people may feel less and less inclined to buy a Bolt EV or a Bolt EUV. When they are back in business – whenever that happens – customers may simply reject the Bolt EV for all the issues it has had so far and the solutions GM offered to address them. Although the Bolt EUV had no fire incidents reported, it uses the same battery pack. The company’s best choice may eventually prove to be just to wait for its Ultium vehicles to clean the mess left by the Bolt EV.
The American automaker said that it did not expect to start the recall before November because it would need the battery packs to be spotless. If it will only get them to the right quality standards in that month, production should only start by them as well. It may also be the case that GM will first use the good batteries first to get manufacturing going in mid-October. If that wer really the case, Bolt EV owners having to park 50 feet away from anything else would comprehensively get mad.
On top of the battery issue, GM is also facing the semiconductors’ shortage like all other car companies. Although that only makes the situation worse for the Bolt EV, the chips that are not used in its production can be put in vehicles with fewer reputation problems and higher sales volumes.
The problem with such a strategy is that people may feel less and less inclined to buy a Bolt EV or a Bolt EUV. When they are back in business – whenever that happens – customers may simply reject the Bolt EV for all the issues it has had so far and the solutions GM offered to address them. Although the Bolt EUV had no fire incidents reported, it uses the same battery pack. The company’s best choice may eventually prove to be just to wait for its Ultium vehicles to clean the mess left by the Bolt EV.
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