Chevrolet Bolt EV/Chevrolet Bolt EUV production at the Orion Assembly plant in Michigan will finally resume on November 1, after several months of pause (since August).
According to Automotive News, General Motors intends to resume "limited" Bolt production "for two weeks," which indicates that not everything is sorted out yetand the company requires more time to be able to return to standard volume production.
"GM said the limited production will start Nov. 1 to help optimize battery production and supply chain repair logistics."
The production was halted due to the massive battery recall, which involves about 142,000 cars (including about 100,000 in the U.S.).
LG Energy Solution's plants in Holland and Hazel Park, Michigan resumed production of battery cells and battery modules on September 20. We assume that most of the modules are now produced for the replacement purposes, but some might be used also to produce new cars.
The Chevrolet Bolt EV/EUV duo are among the most popular EVs in the U.S. and it would be great if GM and LG would be able to somehow smoothly conduct the recall and maintain production at the same time. On the other hand, each produced new Bolt means that someone must wait for a battery replacement for his/her car slightly longer.
Chevrolet Bolt EV/EUV battery recall in brief
- the full battery recall was announced on August 20, 2021
- cause: manufacturing defects (a torn anode tab and folded separator) in lithium-ion battery cells (pouch type) supplied by LG Chem's LG Energy Solution may lead to a battery fire "in rare circumstances"
Cells were produced in plants in South Korea and in Michigan - fire reports (as of September 16, 2021 via Reuters): 12 and three injuries
- cars: about 142,000 cars (including about 100,000 in the U.S.)
all Chevrolet Bolt EV (2017-2022)
all Chevrolet Bolt EUV (2022) - remedy: replacement of battery modules (newer cars) or entire battery packs (early cars) will start in October 2021
The new batteries will include an extended battery 8-year/100,000-mile limited warranty (or 8-year/160,000 km limited warranty in Canada), whichever comes first.
temporarily: don't charge beyond 90% State of Charge (SOC) or discharge below approximately 70 miles (113 km) of the remaining range (which is close to 30% SOC, assuming roughly 250 miles of EPA range) and keep the vehicles outside. - estimated cost: $2.0 billion
on average it might be about $12,675 per car (or about $190 per kWh) assuming $1.8 billion
In October GM announced an agreement with LG on Bolt EV recall costs - "GM will recognize an estimated recovery in its third-quarter earnings that will offset $1.9 billion of $2.0 billion in charges associated with the recalls." - estimated battery volume: 9.2-9.4 GWh
- similar case: Hyundai recall of about 82,000 EVs (including 75,680 Hyundai Kona Electric)
- production: production of new cars was halted in August 2021 and it's expected to resume no earlier than in late-October
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