GM says production starts on replacement batteries for Bolts

The company logo shines off the nose of an unsold 2022 Bolt electric vehicle on display in front of a Chevrolet dealership Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021, in Englewood, Colo. General Motors said Monday, Sept. 20, 2021 that production has resumed for battery modules used in recalled Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles, and customers could start getting replacement parts by mid-October. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

General Motors said Monday that production has resumed for battery modules used in recalled Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles, and customers could start getting replacement parts by mid-October.

GM said supplier LG has restarted production at plants in Holland and Hazel Park, Michigan, and is adding capacity to make more battery cells.

The recall follows reports of 13 battery fires, GM said, which can occur when two separate defects are present in the battery modules. More than 140,000 Bolts are covered by the recall, which is expect to cost $1.8 billion. GM said it continues to negotiate with LG over who will pay.

Customers will be ranked according to where their battery was made and their recharging style. Owners who usually run their batteries nearly to zero power before recharging raise the risk of a fire, company officials said.

The recall is a hitch in GM’s push to sell more electric cars and eventually sell only emissions-free vehicles. And, along with recalls involving Ford, BMW and Hyundai, it has raised safety questions about lithium-ion batteries that are used in nearly all electric vehicles.

GM issued the first Bolt recall last November after getting reports of fires, one of which spread to a house.