Tuesday, September 21, 2021

The GM Chevy Bolt -- Even Jesus Is Upset, Never Thought It Would Happen To Him -- September 21, 2021

Bolts: GM will replace batteries in recalled Chevy Bolts. Link at WSJ. Think about that for a moment. What is the cost of the Bolt? 80% of the cost of the Bolt is the battery. GM is losing money on each Bolt they sell (that was before the recall) according to some sources previously reported -- and now, they're going to pull all the batteries from all the Bolts and replace them with ...... "new" batteries? 

Supposedly, dealerships will start doing this in mid-October. I assume this is akin to replacing an engine or a transmission in an ICE. Fact-check me on this. EVs:

  • the batteries
  • chips
  • software
  • not much else

From the linked article:

GM said Monday that it would start shipping new battery cells to dealerships as early as mid-October to begin replacing potentially faulty battery modules. GM and supplier LG Energy Solution have identified and fixed a manufacturing defect, and LG recently resumed production of cells at a factory in Michigan.

I wonder if GM and LG Energy Solution will share with the public via the mainstream media, the "manufacturing defect" that led to all this. 

GM's original band-aid fix did not work. Even that raises questions? Cutting corners?

Asking for a friend.

Even Jesus is upset (yes, I can't make this up). From the linked article:

Jesus Damian said he walked to the outside lot of his apartment complex in Sacramento last month to find his Bolt had been destroyed by fire. Two cars parked next to his—another Chevrolet and a Maserati—were seriously damaged. His Bolt had been below the charging level recommended by GM, but he said he was unaware of that advice at the time.

142,000 vehicles. Current recall (this is the figure given for the current recall; it does not include the cost for the first recall):

  • $1.8 billion / 142,000 = $13,000 per vehicle. 

Prices:

  • a 2017 Bolt, retail: $18,590 (this would be a Bolt without the new batteries, and under recall).
  • a 2019 Bolt, retail: $23,990 (ditto).
  • the new, re-designed 2022 Bolt starts at $31,000. As shown, $34,200. For $34,000, look how small that vehicle appears. Literally no rear trunk / storage space. It appears there's enough room up front for a spare tire. 
  • GM's Electric Cadillac, 2022: starting at $60,000

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