GM recalls Chevrolet Bolt EVs again following battery fires

[DETROIT] General Motors is recalling its 2017-2019 model year Chevrolet Bolt battery-powered cars for the second time in less than a year, after two vehicles that had been repaired in a previous recall caught fire.

The company will replace battery modules in the hatchbacks after identifying the "simultaneous presence of two rare manufacturing defects" in the same battery cell, the automaker said Friday. GM in a November recall offered a software upgrade that limits recharging to 90 per cent of full capacity as it worked to find a permanent remedy.

Recalls over battery defects has been a frequent hitch in the auto industry's transition to electric vehicles, with other automakers recalling batteries recently as well. Friday's announcement means the problem will continue to vex GM as it moves toward a new Ultium battery, which is more advanced than those in old Bolt models.

Friday's move affects the same 68,667 cars involved in the November recall, involving batteries made by South Korea-based LG Chem. Other Bolt vehicles use batteries made in the US and aren't subject to the recall.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last week urged owners of the vehicles to park their cars outside and away from homes, citing fire risk. The agency said it was continuing to investigate.

Detroit-based GM is asking owners to limit charging to 90 per cent of capacity, to charge after each use and avoid depleting their battery below about 70 miles of range.

BLOOMBERG