Chevy Bolt EV Production Extended: GM Shutdown Continues

GM Extends Orion Assembly Plant Shutdown

General Motors has announced a further two-week extension of the shutdown affecting its Orion Assembly Plant. This prolongation is a direct consequence of a battery pack supply issue stemming from the extensive safety recall impacting the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV.

Downtime Extension Details

According to GM, the Orion plant will remain inactive until September 20th. The initial shutdown commenced on August 23rd, and this extension signifies a continued disruption to production.

Recall and Safety Concerns

The recall encompasses all Chevy Bolt EV and Bolt EUV vehicles manufactured from 2017 onwards. This broad recall was initiated following the identification of two distinct manufacturing flaws within the battery cells.

These defects have the potential to elevate the risk of fire. As a precautionary measure, GM has advised Bolt owners to limit their vehicle’s state of charge to 90% and to refrain from allowing the battery to fall below a 70-mile remaining range.

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) has further recommended that owners park their Bolt vehicles outdoors, away from residential structures, as an additional safety precaution.

Supplier Collaboration and Remediation

GM is currently collaborating with its battery supplier, LG Chem, to implement improvements to their manufacturing procedures. The aim is to rectify the identified defects and prevent future occurrences.

Initial Shutdown Cause and Subsequent Extension

The Orion Assembly Plant was originally idled due to a scarcity of semiconductor chips. Subsequently, employees were informed that the downtime would be prolonged due to the battery shortage linked to the ongoing recall.

Financial Implications

The anticipated cost of the recall to GM is estimated at $1.8 billion. A company spokesperson indicated that no update was available regarding whether this extended shutdown would result in an increase to that figure.

GM intends to pursue reimbursement for the recall expenses from LG Chem.

Key Takeaways

• The Orion Assembly Plant shutdown is extended to September 20th.
• The issue is related to the Chevrolet Bolt EV/EUV recall.
• LG Chem is working with GM to resolve manufacturing defects.
• The recall is projected to cost GM $1.8 billion.

Chip Shortages and GM Production Updates

Despite the ongoing global semiconductor chip shortage, General Motors has announced plans to reinstate production at multiple facilities over the coming fortnight.

Operations will be fully restored at the Fort Wayne Assembly and Silao Assembly plants, responsible for the manufacture of the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, starting September 13th. These plants had experienced temporary disruptions due to the worldwide chip scarcity, as reported by GM.

Next week will see all of GM’s North American facilities dedicated to full-size trucks and SUVs operating at full capacity.

The Spring Hill Assembly plant, located in Tennessee, is scheduled to resume production of the GMC Acadia and Cadillac XT5 and XT6 models on September 20th. This follows a period of inactivity since mid-July.

However, the Spring Hill plant will undergo another planned shutdown from the week of September 27th through November 22nd to facilitate the installation of tooling for new models.

Production of the Cadillac XT4, halted since February 8th, will be recommenced at the Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas. Conversely, Chevrolet Malibu production, also based at Fairfax, will continue to be suspended.

GM has also extended planned downtime by one week at both the Lansing Delta Township and Wentzville plants. Furthermore, an additional week of downtime has been added to Chevrolet Blazer production at the Ramos facility.