GM Extends Bolt Plant Shut Down After Recall, Will Also Cut Production At Six Other Plants Due To Semi Shortage

When it rains, it pours for automakers…

General Motors is planning on extending the shut down of one of its Michigan assembly plants to October 15 as a result of the ongoing Chevy Bolt recall.

In addition, GM said on Thursday it would be cutting production at six other North American plants as a result of the semiconductor shortage.

Recall, yesterday, we wrote about how GM – after two Bolt recalls – had simply resorted to telling owners not to park within 50 feet of other vehicles.

GM spokesman Dan Flores, who we’re sure isn’t getting paid enough to deliver this line with a straight face, said this week: “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.”

“We are aware of 12 GM confirmed battery fires that have been investigated involving Bolt EVs vehicles in the previous and new recall population,” he continued, telling The Detroit News. “We’re still working with LG around the clock to resolve the issue. Both companies understand the urgency to move as quickly as possible, but, again, the most important thing here is we have to get this right.” 

Recall, back in July, General Motors issued their second recall for the Chevy Bolt after it announced that two Bolts had caught fire without impact and that at least one of the two was related to the battery and happened despite the owner getting a fix from a previous recall.

Additionally, the semiconductor supply chain continues to be a priority not only in the U.S., but also in the E.U., where Friday morning we highlighted comments from the EU’s digital policy chief, Margrethe Vestager.

She officially this week warned that countries should not be relying on just a “handful of very big” chip producers to help alleviate the global chip shortage. Instead, European leaders have called for more investment – something that the EU is actively considering – to help with the bottlenecked supply chain, according to The Irish Times. 

Vestager told Bloomberg TV that she thought the EU should be aiming for “a much more diversified supply chain”.

“It’s important that we focus on the global market… also European production is meant for a global market, because we get the right competitive pressure,” she said on Wednesday.

She continued: “We cannot just have it that we depend on very few, very big chip producers.”