GM expects to have recall fix for possible fire risk in April
Says batteries use different separators than troubled Hyundai cells
Following a story about a recall on the Chevrolet Bolt EV related to a software update for a risk of battery fires, General Motors reached out to clarify that despite both automakers sourcing batteries from LG Chem, its fire risk was not the same as that affecting Hyundai Kona Electric owners which may require a battery pack replacement.
The story from InsideEVs came late last week and pointed out that a series of battery pack fires involving the Bolt and Kona EVs had no explanation, however, GM had recently updated its recall page for the Bolt to reflect that a solution to the issue for that model was coming in April and that it would be a software update. It says that the automaker’s engineers have made progress on finding the issue and suggested an interim solution involving limiting maximum charge to 90 percent.
GM reached out to InsideEVs to point out that while both Bolt and Kona use LG cells, they are not the same battery cells. GM stressed, the report says, that the batteries use a different separator. The separator is a film inside the battery cell that provides a barrier between anode and cathode while letting ions travel through. That’s a response to rumours that its the separator to blame in the Kona fires, though it’s important to note that, per the same report, there is still no confirmed cause of the Kona EV issues.
So GM wants you to know that its batteries aren’t the same as Hyundai’s, which, the report says, could either distance GM from the Hyundai issue or confirm that the separator isn’t to blame in Hyundai’s problems, since the two cells do not have that part in common.
