GM won't restore Chevy Bolt until 2022 until damaged batteries are replaced

After briefly resuming production of the Chevrolet Bolt in November, the automaker decided to put the process on hold entirely. GM will not produce the Bolt until the end of 2021 and will aim to replace all arson-affected batteries.

Problems continue to plague GM as the company faces an overabundance of repairs. General Motors has confirmed that Bolt production at the Orion assembly plant will be closed until the end of 2021.

“GM has notified Orion Assembly employees that the plant will be forced to shut down until the end of calendar year 2021,” said GM spokesman Dan Flores, adding that “this decision will allow us to continue to prioritize recall repairs.” The company said employees will notify schedules related to the resumption of production in early 2022. Meanwhile, GM is focused on replacing battery modules for existing vehicles.

GM has already stopped production of the Bolt 

Production at Orion Assembly was halted on August 23, days after GM announced a recall of all bolts made for 2019-2022 models. A brief two-week restart occurred in November when GM built replacement vehicles for customers affected by the recall. Subsequently, on November 15, the plant stopped production again.

If there's one thing GM did well in this whole fiasco, it's that supplier LG agreed to pay to ship defective batteries. , significantly boosting GM's third-quarter earnings. 

What caused a Chevy Bolt battery fire?

The fire in the Bolt battery was caused by faulty cells, consisting of torn anode tabs and bent inward cushioning material. This can cause excessive heat or an internal short circuit, which can lead to thermal runaway of the cells, causing them to swell and even explode. 

In a note to employees provided by Detroit News, Orion Assembly Plant Director Reuben Jones stated, “After 2021, our production schedule continues to be driven by what it takes to help customers affected by the recall instead of fulfilling orders. for new cars.

It's clear that GM still has a lot of work to do. With more than 140,000 vehicles recalled due to faulty batteries, the company has to work hard to refurbish recalled vehicles with replacement battery modules. Considering that even next year production will be focused on helping existing customers, it may be a while before we see the new Chevrolet Bols hit dealerships.

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