Photo: Douglas Schrock
It’s been an ongoing nightmare for GM as the Chevy Bolt suffers through a recall due to potential fire caused by its batteries - and the company’s current advice includes the astonishing directive that owners should park their Bolts outdoors - but the latest news is that owners aren’t having it and want their money back.
The story began when General Motors voluntarily expanded the current Chevrolet Bolt EV recall to cover all remaining 2019 and all 2020-2022 model year vehicles - including the Bolt EUV.
They said that in "rare circumstances" the batteries supplied to GM for these vehicles may have two manufacturing defects – a torn anode tab and folded separator. It seems that those defects might increase the risk of fire. GM then offered to replace defective battery modules in Chevrolet Bolt EVs and EUVs with new modules - and that it would cost them upwards of $1 billion to do it.
And now according to the Detroit Free Press, some Bolt owners have been persistent and vocal enough to get buybacks from GM. The article includes interviews with a number of Bolt owners, and one of them says he’s on the verge of paying for a full-page newspaper ad to get out his side of the story.
“I am looking at a couple of options, none of which are paying on it because I feel that would be to acquiesce and it’d be an admission of ownership,” Smith told the Free Press. “I see it as unethical on General Motors’ part to leave the car on the market.”
The source also provides some comments from GM, and the automaker says it is offering buybacks to some Bolt customers. As to the total number being offered the buyback plan - and the amount GM is planning to pay each owner - those numbers are still to be revealed.
The company said “we’re not going to get into the specifics and will continue to consider buybacks on a case-by-case basis.”
They said that in "rare circumstances" the batteries supplied to GM for these vehicles may have two manufacturing defects – a torn anode tab and folded separator. It seems that those defects might increase the risk of fire. GM then offered to replace defective battery modules in Chevrolet Bolt EVs and EUVs with new modules - and that it would cost them upwards of $1 billion to do it.
And now according to the Detroit Free Press, some Bolt owners have been persistent and vocal enough to get buybacks from GM. The article includes interviews with a number of Bolt owners, and one of them says he’s on the verge of paying for a full-page newspaper ad to get out his side of the story.
“I am looking at a couple of options, none of which are paying on it because I feel that would be to acquiesce and it’d be an admission of ownership,” Smith told the Free Press. “I see it as unethical on General Motors’ part to leave the car on the market.”
The source also provides some comments from GM, and the automaker says it is offering buybacks to some Bolt customers. As to the total number being offered the buyback plan - and the amount GM is planning to pay each owner - those numbers are still to be revealed.
The company said “we’re not going to get into the specifics and will continue to consider buybacks on a case-by-case basis.”
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