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Chevrolet has recalled all Bolts, its all-electric car, to fix battery problems that could cause fires, the company said.
Last year, the company recalled its 69,000 older Bolts after five reports of fires; the company then recalled the same cars again to fix a battery defect that could ignite fires.
After spending $800 million on those recalls and repairs, as reported by the company, last week Chevrolet added 73,000 more recent models, including all 2021 and 2022 cars, to the recall after learning one Bolt had caught fire after receiving a software update.
To ensure safety until the problems are resolved, Chevrolet has asked Bolt owners to park outdoors, not to charge the battery pack beyond 90 percent of capacity, and to not deplete the power pack below 70 miles of driving range.
Other electric-car makers have delayed launching new models over concerns about lithium-ion battery technology.
Lithium-ion batteries have started fires in cell phones and other consumer electronics.
TREND FORECAST: As we have long said, the technology of electric cars is not yet mature. Recalls such as this one delay the time when car buyers will feel fully comfortable about trading their gasmobiles for an all-electric replacement.
As we have noted, car makers have not yet mastered EV technology, which limits public acceptance. (See “Will EVs Juice the Economy?,” 27 April 2021.)
While the transition to multi-fuel cars is under way, the technology of electric or new-energy vehicles is not being mastered. The problem of recharging batteries, an 1800 invention, limits EVs’ mass-market acceptability. And they are much more expensive… at a time when real wages are declining.
However, we also forecast that breakthroughs in combustion-engine development and higher-efficiency motor oils that significantly increase miles per gallon and diminish pollution also will help stall the move toward EVs., since they will also be cheaper.
In the future, when advanced battery production is invented, when there is quick and convenient charging, longer ranges between charges, and falling prices, EVs will become the mainstream vehicle. In addition, auto companies will offer fewer petrol-powered vehicles, leaving more and more buyers to opt for electric vehicles.