The Chevy Bolt EV and Chevy Bolt EUV have lost Consumer Reports‘ recommendation due to reliability issues.
Earlier this month, the publication shared a list of 12 cars that it no longer recommends to readers, which included both the Chevy Bolt EV and Chevy Bolt EUV. Both cars have a rather poor reliability rating of 2/5, according to CR’s own rankings, which is much worse than direct rivals like the Kia Niro EV, Hyundai Kona EV and Nissan Leaf.
While CR did not reference the Chevy Bolt EV and Bolt EUV battery fire recalls in its report, it seems likely that the recalls played a factor in its decision to no longer recommend the vehicles to readers. GM issued an expanded recall for roughly 140,000 examples of both vehicles earlier this year after it received multiple reports of battery fires in the vehicles. Many Chevy Bolt EV and Bolt EUV models will need replacement battery modules under the recall campaign.
Most Bolt EV and Bolt EUV models that have yet to be repaired also have new preventative software that limits the vehicle’s charging capacity to 80 percent, reducing their usable range. These vehicles cannot be parked indoors, either, and must not be parked within 50 feet of another vehicle. These issues seem as though they would be more than enough for CR to remove the vehicle from its list of recommended models.
The GM Lake Orion plant that produces the Chevy Bolt EV and Bolt EUV models is currently closed and is not expected to come back online until the New Year. GM has decided to prioritize getting replacement battery modules and other recall repair parts to owners for now, rather than continuing to build more examples of the embattled vehicles.
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Moving opposite to market trends.
With four model years recommended for purchase.
This example is a former NCRS award winner.
Many automakers oppose right-to-repair laws citing cybersecurity concerns.
Breaking out the spec sheets for a comparison.
View Comments
Doesn’t surprise me
I don't see how any EV can be recommended Tesla I still having problems with fires with one making the national news last week for destroying the entire owners house. It's just a matter of time till an apartment complex with underground parking has a fire that causes the building to be evacuated for several weeks while engineers examine and repair the building
I'm sure this will break a lot of hearts lol.
You might not want to make up restrictions like having to park 50 feet of another vehicle or can't be parked in a garage. The current restrictions are on the recall website and neither of those are listed. It isn't hard to find them and list them.
Those weren't made up. That doesn't mean they are the "current restrictions" listed on a website, but those are real things GM told people about the product they sold them:
"DETROIT – General Motors is advising some Chevrolet Bolt owners to not park their electric cars within 50 feet of other vehicles to reduce the risk of a potential fire spreading to nearby cars and trucks."
I have a 2022 Bolt EV and I have no regrets. The battery issue is a little inconvenience but I have had no problems. The Bolt is a fun car to drive and driving by a gas station is also fun. I have a level 2 charger in my garage (GM paid for the plug installation) and the charging is fast and efficient. Those who like to criticize the Bolt need to take one for a drive and they’ll find out what a great car it is.
I have a Chevy Bolt euv 2022 on order at my dealership in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. I will stick with GM and love their Bolt ev and euv...
Please start rebuilding for us very soon...
Hi Tony - I bought mine not far from you distance wise (in Depew, NY - Buffalo Area) in late June weeks before the sales embargo started....
I like the car very much - if anything the only pet peeves I have is there is too much standard equipment which I'll never need, and as I've detailed earlier they could have lowered the MSRP by $3,200 if they left those things optional for those who really want them... Another thing is that I USED to use the 2017 Bolt ev's 12 volt battery to run a 2000 watt inverter, but this new EUV has next to impossible to access battery terminals that I can only 'bug' onto after the 3 year/36,000 mile warranty has expired. I can also forget Jump-Starting other ICE cars, something I used to frequently do with the 2017 EV.
But for a vehicle with zero options, it seems more substantial than the Bolt EV, and the car is comfortable, and so far, quiet, and reliable.
While some may say I'm taking a chance by parking it in my attached garage, the chance of a fire is about the same as being struck by lightning on a golf course. The 65 kwh battery is due to be replaced or refurbished early next year.... It replaced a 67,000 mile (100K km) 2017 BOLT EV which, when the battery was recently tested, came out to be essentially flawless. Changed it out due to the high-resale value I deemed temporary. I would have kept it if I knew I was going to get a new battery out of the deal, which wasn't announced until a few weeks after I traded it in.
The car is not all things to all people, but I appreciate the much more comfortable upholstery, huge increase in back seat room, and wider stance making it much easier to put my bicycle in the back. I hope you enjoy it also. It also goes about 20 miles further than my 2017 on a full charge.
I have 2022 Bolt EUV, bought in July driving 120 km every day (75 mi). Fun to drive cost CAD 1.70 per day. No gas stations huge relief. London, Ontario.
Why buy a known defective car?
The worst part of the experience was not the fact that there were a small number of defective modules that caused fires; that kind of thing happens. It was how GM dealt with it. Initially, they did a good job communicating...dial back the max charge to 80% with instructions on how to do it yourself. Then a recall to make an appointment with your dealer to have software installed that did (only) the same thing...then an "all-clear" message saying they had found the problem and could fix it with software--that I didn't receive until the day after the media reported that ALL Bolt EV and EUVs would be recalled (I never got official word that I was subject to the all-vehicle recall) due to 2 physical defects in some modules, then silence, then the announcement that they finally, truly, this time for sure had a real fix, then silence, then media accounts about not parking closer than 50 ft. to other vehicles in a parking garage (?), which I NEVER officially received, then silence.All the while, the only way to contact them was through the "Concierge" who is well meaning, like the grandmother assigned to me who was working at home with grandchildren in the background, but has no knowledge or authority, and is just there to "let you know someone cares". My dealer has professed to have been as left in the dark by GM as me. I now have received yet another recall notice; I have been told that my vehicle, a 2019, was a high priority for replacement, so I made a call to my dealer to set my appointment, only to be told that this notice only allows the dealer to place an order for the parts, and that they'll get back to me when they come it...that was over a month ago...Then I see in the media that GM has software that will detect if you vehicle has a defective module--handy while you're waiting for the battery to be fixed, so you can know if you're at risk of a fire while you wait...but no official notice, and when I asked the dealer, they said that it has not yet been released, and likely wouldn't be until well after my recall fix. This it absolutely unacceptable customer communication and lack of preparedness for the demand for parts that they control. It erodes the support of folks who want to buy EVs as early adopters toward their electrification goals.
And to put all that in perspective, Hyundai had already recalled their Kona's with the LG batteries.
Well, Bill Howland and Daniel
I appreciate your comments...both valid...
In my case, I had a a 2020 Bolt ev Premiere.... I had no issues with it... I also have 2 v economical diesel vehicles for long distances and for trailering...
My bolt was a breath of fresh air for all my driving under 500 km distances and I put 33,000 km in 8 months then lost it in an accidental mishap... it always cost me under $5 canadian to charger it for a 399 km travel, night charging at 8.1c \ Kwh...at home with Level 2 charging...
That's why I only need an electric Vehicle of that size, price, and amenities.... don't need a Tesla. Mustang MachE, Audi eTron, nor a Jag iPace.... all expensive in many ways....
That's why I'm hoping GM will succeed in Cleaning up that battery mess and chip supply problems and build a decent and safe Bolt EUV Premiere and Launch Edition soon...hopefully in January 2022....Fingers crossed...
Hope it is not too much to wish for .....
I love my 2019 Bolt. Fires in gas cars are far higher in % than battery fires. Plus my new battery will have an even greater range than before.
I haven't seen a whole lot of newer gasoline cars catch on fire while sitting parked.
I don't think it's as easy to compare as you are attempting.
But what about resale value?
I am currently waiting for my dealer to receive these batteries and fix my 2019 Bolt. With the onset of winter in Winnipeg, the actual range of my car currently is 100 Km. It will be reduced even further as it certainly will get colder. This is charging to 90% and re-charging again when I reach approximately 50% as my effective range at that point is under 115 Km as per GM's request.
Don't get me wrong though. I really like my Bolt and in the summer it has great range but not so in the winter. with the restrictions the range makes the car almost worthless. For people driving gas cars to appreciate what we are putting up with would be:
1) You can only fill your car up with gas in the middle of the night (daytime charging is this inconvenient)
2) You can only fill your tank to half full in the summer and 1/3 full in the winter
3) When you have filled your car you have to park it outside for an indeterminate amount of time
These cover the latest instructions from GM on my last recall notice as some of the others weren't mentioned. When my batteries finally get replaced and I am back to a promised extended range this all may be worth it but time will tell.