GM to replace Chevy Volt 120-volt chargers - lithium ion battery pack
Reuters March 22-
GM said Thursday it would replace 120-
Volt charging wire for most Chevrolet volt electric cars.
Exchange affects all 2011 models-
General Motors spokesman Randal Fox said that of the hybrid and about 2012 models.
He was not aware of the total number of affected, but said it was less than the 11,000 + Volts sold so far.
Before the federal government subsidized $40,000, the car was priced at just under $7,500.
Yahoo Autos first reported the deal on consumer complaints about overheating.
However, Fox said the exchange was not trying to solve the problem of overheating.
"It's just to provide a more consistent charging experience," Fox said . ".
"This is not a safety recall.
More customers.
Satisfactory plan.
"We have made some improvements to the design to add some durability and reliability," he said . ".
General Motors, for example, has increased the cable size of the wires to improve durability, he said.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched an investigation on November.
25 the safety of entering the Volt battery pack after finding the fire risk in their own repeated tests.
The fire occurred after the NHTSA crash test or other test, the lithium of the car-
The ion battery was deliberately damaged.
NHTSA closed its probe on January without any defects found, and expressed satisfaction with GM's repair of better protection of lithium
An ion battery pack is formed by adding steel bars and other steps to prevent the coolant from leaking and causing fire.
Some people think the investigation is unnecessary, but Volt has received a lot of attention, although its total sales volume is small, because many Republicans have criticized its sales and the federal subsidies that buyers receive.
GM was idle for five weeks at the Volt assembly plant in Michigan due to weak demand.
General Motors Chief Executive Dan Akerson said on January that Volt had been "unfairly censored" because it had become an agent for the election --
Politics and comments on Obama administration policy.
General Motors presents electric vehicles as the core of fuel efficiency and cutting-edge technology.
Fox said that Volt owners will receive notification from the exchange in the coming weeks, and when they bring the car in for battery enhancement, they will also receive new wires.
The new wire will not change the charging time, and the replacement will not affect 240-
It's a Volt, he said.
(Report by Ben Klayman;