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Andrew Krupowicz was relieved last month to end the lease on his 2019 Chevrolet Bolt electric car, which had been recalled for risk of battery fire. He replaced it with a new, larger Bolt model that was not subject to the safety recall.
“I was like, ‘Great, I came out of the woods,'” he said. But two weeks later, General Motors Co. extended its recall to include every Bolt it has built, including its own vehicle. Toronto’s chartered accountant keeps the car but adds a network fire alarm in case it catches fire.
GM this month extended the Bolt safety recall for the second time, recalling the approximately 142,000 models built since it went on sale five years ago. The Detroit automaker has also halted production of all new bolts. Safety action on its only US electric car will cost GM about $ 1.8 billion, or about $ 12,700 per car, among its costliest recalls.
Safety concerns underscore the risks for traditional automakers, as many suddenly turn to electric vehicles. The high cost of high energy density lithium-ion battery cells means replacement expenses can skyrocket when faults occur. Ford Motor Co., Hyundai Motor Co., and other automakers have faced huge costs to repair a relatively small number of electric cars.
For GM, the recent issues come as it tries to convince consumers and investors that it is ready to lead the auto industry’s transition to electric. Although the cars have been recalled, GM and battery cell supplier LG Energy Solution still have no solution.
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