Providing a free loaner to Volt owners concerned about their car’s safety is all good and well – even better for some if the loaner is a Camaro or a Corvette.
However, General Motors, which is currently cooperating with the NHTSA to address the fire issues that ensued after the agency’s crash tests, may even go as far as redesigning its extended-range hybrid’s battery which is manufactured by South Korea's LG Chem.
“We want to assure the safety of our customers, and so we’re just going to take a time out, if you will, in terms of redesigning the battery possibly”, GM CEO Dan Akerson told Reuters.
GM has reacted quickly after the NHTSA initiated an official probe on not just the Volt, but the lithium-ion batteries in general as well, even though no such incidents have been reported so far by the almost 5,500 Volt owners.
Sales of the Opel Ampera, the European version of the Volt, are also put on hold until GM’s engineers and federal regulators reach a conclusion over the battery fire risk investigation.
Akerson is confident that the whole issue will be resolved: "It is a safe car. We just want make sure that there are protocols post-crash. We want to make sure all the Ts are crossed, the Is are dotted, and no one has any question about the car long term."
4 Comments:
You sabotage Toyota cars and then you expect your cars to run on Fire. Yes thats what has literally happened. What goes around comes around.
I understand that they want to ensure the safety of te customers. But it was by already crashed cars so if it was your own it was probably total loss and you needed an another. And if it is not be very damaged than the garage now knows about the risk en can also check the working of the cooling system of te battery, to make sure that it work and there is no risk of catching fire. By the way normal gas cars can also catch fire after a crash. I don't say it isn't good that GM checks the problem, but if nothing happens by your volt or ampera. Everything go's just fine and deserves his 5 NCAP stars. So I hope that there isn't much slow down to the ampera version because I can't wait. I also think many Volt users think already the same about there safety in the volt. Because now one has already bring his car back. good, because the risk in normal cars is just as big. and i never understand. Why trying to start an already crashed car that normally also is said as total loss. My thrust also isnt getting smaller thanks to this incident because if i get crashed in my ampera i know that i just as safe as in a gas car with 5NCAP stars. and if it happens just after a week; well i probably cant drive either in my ampera because it have to repair, so the cooling system can to be checked if it works.
And just last year, Dan Akerson, CEO of GM, called the Prius a "geek-mobile". Now he is offering loaners on the Volt and to buy them back. Who's the real geek now?
That is so typical;first nag on toyota for it's possible acceleration issues, then offer an electric car that is not electrical but range extended (read hybrid), than when safety issue ocuurwith their own vehicle it is the fault of the NHTSA. And now production is put hold. I guess we need to see who will be blamed next for GM own incompetence. Certainly not GM.
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