General Motors Chair and CEO Mary Barra announced that production of the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV would be halted by the end of 2023. This aligns with the GM’s plan to transition the Bolt production line in Orion, Michigan, into manufacturing electric trucks.
During a Tuesday morning earnings call with investors, Barra confirmed the seven-year run of the Bolt would come to an end and be retooled for electric truck production:
“We’ve progressed so far that it’s now time to plan the end of Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV production, which will happen at the end of the year.”
GM’s decision to kill Bolt production comes after a series of battery fires over the last few years and at least one major recall.
Barra acknowledged the loyalty of Bolt owners but noted that some customers were furious by the EV’s defects, which led to battery fires. GM had to recall 142,000 vehicles as a result. Some Bolt customers faced delays in receiving new batteries, while others could not drive their vehicles due to the fire risk. This manufacturing mishap hindered GM’s progress in the EV market.
GM spokesperson Dan Flores gave a statement this week that didn’t drip with optimism about the Bolt, either: “Production of the Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV will continue during the plant’s conversion activities to prepare the facility for production of the Silverado EV and Sierra EV pickups. We are not disclosing any additional information at this time about Bolt EV or Bolt EUV production.”
Recall, in September, we noted that after two recalls about fires, GM had finally resorted to telling Bolt owner just not to park their car within 50 feet of another car.
Flores, who we we’re sure wasn’t getting paid enough to deliver this line with a straight face, said in Fall 2021: “In an effort to reduce potential damage to structures and nearby vehicles in the rare event of a potential fire, we recommend parking on the top floor or on an open-air deck and park 50 feet or more away from another vehicle. Additionally, we still request you do not leave your vehicle charging unattended, even if you are using a charging station in a parking deck.”
