GM extends recall to cover all Chevy Bolts

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.—General Motors said Friday it is recalling all Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles sold worldwide to fix a battery problem that could cause fires.

The recall and others raise questions about lithium ion batteries, which now are used in nearly all electric vehicles. Ford, BMW and Hyundai all have recalled batteries recently.

U.S. President Joe Biden wants to convert 50 per cent of the U.S. vehicle fleet from internal combustion to electricity by 2050 as part of a broader effort to fight climate change.

The latest recall adds about 73,000 Bolts from the 2019 through 2022 model years, including just over 10,000 in Canada, to the previous recall announced in July of 69,000 Bolts from between 2017 and 2019.

GM said that in rare cases the batteries have two manufacturing defects that can cause fires.

The Detroit-based automaker said it will replace the battery modules in all the vehicles.

The latest recall will cost the company about $1 billion, bringing the total cost of the Bolt battery recalls to $1.8 billion.

GM said owners should limit charging to 90 per cent of battery capacity. The Bolts, including a new SUV, should be parked outdoors until the modules are replaced.

GM said it began investigating the newer Bolts after a 2019 model that was not included in the previous recall caught fire a few weeks ago in Chandler, Arizona. That raised concerns about newer Bolts.