In our last post here, we covered General Motors’ (GM) apparent plans to scrap the Chevy Bolt. Well it appears that the news of the demise of the Chevy Bolt was greatly exaggerated. GM has surprised the automotive world by announcing that it will actually be bringing back a resurrected Chevy bolt with updated technology. “We will keep the momentum going by delivering a new Bolt … and we will execute it more quickly compared to an all-new program with significantly lower engineering expense and capital investment…” GM CEO Mary Barra said during the company’s quarterly earnings conference call on Tuesday.
This unexpected move demonstrates GM’s commitment to making the Chevy Bolt model line work despite a number of problems and recalls in its past.
The Bolt’s History
The Chevy Bolt made its debut in 2017, aiming to provide an affordable EV for the masses. While some estimates have placed the average cost of an EV around $53,438, the Chevy Bolt could be purchased as low as approximately $26,000. The updated Bolt is meant to compliment Chevy’s other models that include the Silverado, Blazer and Equinox electric vehicles. GM plans to make exclusively EV’s by by 2035.
Troubles and Recalls:
Despite the Bolt’s success, it faced some challenges along the way. In recent years, GM and LG have identified the simultaneous presence of two rare manufacturing defects in the same battery cell as the root cause of battery fires in certain Chevrolet Bolt EVs. As a result, GM will be conducting a recall of Bolt EVs (2017-2022) and Bolt EUVs (2022) to address the risk of battery fires in these vehicles. These recalls put GM to the test, but it also spurred them to improve the model further and address the underlying issues.
As we covered in our prior post on the relevance of recalls in Lemon Law claims, recalls can be an indication that an underlying issue exists with the vehicle and the manufacturer has knowledge of that defect. Under the California Lemon Law, if the manufacturer cannot repair your vehicle under warranty after repeated attempts, you may be entitled to compensation. You can read that post pertaining to automotive recalls by clicking here.
The Road Ahead
GM plans to leverage its “Ultium” battery platform and “Ultifi” software, promising enhanced performance, longer range, and over-the-air software updates. By offering regular software updates, GM can introduce new features, optimize performance, and extend battery life in the hopes of creating a new and improved Chevy Bolt that is more reliable than it has been in past years. The Chevy Bolt’s journey from near-cancellation to revival is a statement regarding its popularity and brand image. As the automotive industry continues to embrace electric vehicles, the Bolt is part of GM’s strategy to stay in line with this trend. However, questions still remain as to whether GM can remedy some of the problems that has plagued the Bolt in past years.
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