General Motors is working closely with supplier and partner LG Energy Solution to find the root cause of the battery fires that have forced it to recall thousands of Chevy Bolt EV and Bolt EUV vehicles.
Worker holding an LG Energy Solution pouch cell
GM Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson told Reuters last week the automaker is helping to “clean up the manufacturing process” at LG Energy Solution plants and put its own quality control practices in place. The automaker said previously the battery fires were caused when a torn anode tab and folded separator are present within the same battery cell, although it’s not clear how this condition comes to be during the manufacturing process. Battery cells for the Chevy Bolt EV and Bolt EUV are produced at an LG Energy Solution plant in Michigan and another similar facility in South Korea.
The battery recall, which includes all Chevy Bolt EV and Bolt EUV vehicles from the 2017 to 2022 model year, is expected to cost GM around $1.8 billion. The automaker is looking for LG to refund it for the cost of the recall and said this effort is “being handled by the appropriate leaders at both companies.” LG said this week that it is “actively cooperating to come up with a final recall plan” with GM to “wisely resolve” the battery issues. It also said it hopes to continue its “close relationship” with GM going forward.
GM spokesman Dan Flores told Reuters the automaker will begin repairing vehicles affected by the battery recall once it can finalize a solution with LG.
“Experts from GM and LG continue to work around the clock on the issues,” Flores said. “We are determined to do the right thing for our customers and resolve the problem once and for all. Once we are confident LG can provide us with good battery modules, we will begin repairs as quickly as we can.”
Ultium Cells LLC plant rendering
GM formed a new joint venture with LG last year called Ultium Cells LLC, which will operate numerous battery plants and supply GM with the battery cells it needs to expand its EV portfolio. The first Ultium Cells plant is being built in Ohio, while another is also being constructed near the GM Spring Hill Assembly plant in Tennessee. These plants will supply cells for new GM EVs like the GMC Hummer EV, Cadillac Lyriq and Chevy Silverado EV, among more.
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Comments
This is a problem that GM needs to get figured out faster. A delay like this makes it as if they don’t know what’s wrong and makes consumers un confident in company’s quality and safety. Being that there publicly moving in the EV area. Sorting this out quick can save the future of the company.
Without a doubt this is not confidence inspiring, my concern is more with pouch style battery cells in general, I typically ignore Elon Musk’s propaganda, but he has made clear Tesla does not like Pouch style batteries due to the safety risk, and the reasons have gave seem to make sense, although I am no battery expert, (VW and Toyota have made announcements going away from pouch style cells) Tesla’s newer battery design in the 3, Y ,and refreshed S and X seem to have more redundancy against thermal runaway in the way they are designed and built.
I think they’re just going to poke and prod until Ultium batteries come out. These existing batteries are fried.
Not a chance of that. The Bolt and Bolt EUV were left behind as switching to Ultium Platform would require a redesign of both vehicles. Perhaps the next generation Bolt and Bolt EUV will use Ultium batteries, but not this generation.
Agreed and probably what they need to go to quickly…Ultium which if anything might suggest a new technology that eliminates the issue but we know better the underlying is probably similar but new names always seem to make bad things go away. Hopefully it does and they move on quickly.
Pubic relations nightmare. Look what happened to the Corvair. It’s all perception.
Its bad, but this too shall pass…
GM is finally doing what they should have been doing from the start of battery production for the Bolt EV in late 2016. The battery is so essential to an EV I would been have closely monitored LG from the beginning. They bet their entire company on a third party hoping that they would create flawless batteries, but they didn’t and now GM’s reputation and future all-In EV strategy has been severely set back. Hopefully GM and recover and sell a lot of EVs going forward.
Yes and gm too shall pass. LG and quality have nothing to do with each other.
I will stay with Tesla for my EVs. It will take a long time for gm to convince me they can build durable quality battery packs. This fiasco has really hurt gm’s upcoming EV effort.
Like Teslas exploding on major impacts?…
I will believe that GM will supply me with the improved batteries in my 2022 Chevy Bolt EUV that I have on order at my local GM dealership in Ontario…. Please don’t let us down…
we’re waiting patiently and hopefully you can deliver by year’s end…
TM