General Motors sued over Chevy Bolt battery defects

LG Energy Solution's factory in Ochang, North Chungcheong [LG ENERGY SOLUTION]

General Motors (GM) faces a class-action lawsuit in the United States concerning its electric vehicle, the Chevrolet Bolt EV, which is equipped with lithium-ion batteries from LG Energy Solution.

The legal action, which was filed Monday, concerns a battery fire incident that occurred in 2021. LG Energy Solution and LG Electronics incurred around 1.4 trillion won ($1.2 billion) in recall costs from the incident.

LG to pay GM Motors ￦1.4 trillion to cover Bolt EV recall

Thirty-nine plaintiffs, represented by attorney Eric Pearson, filed the lawsuit against GM, according to the Eastern District Court of Michigan.

The lawsuit primarily alleges that GM failed to acknowledge defects in the 60-kilowatt-hour (kWh) 350-volt (V) lithium-ion batteries used in the Bolt vehicles and was remiss in fulfilling repair and warranty obligations, a local media outlet reported. The suit involves Chevrolet Bolt EV and Chevrolet Bolt EUV models produced between 2017 and 2022.

Plaintiffs have raised concerns about potential overheating of defective high-voltage batteries in these vehicles, which could pose safety risks to drivers and passengers.

The lawsuit also highlights that the lithium-ion batteries were manufactured at LG Chem's factory in Ochang, North Chungcheong, before LG Energy Solution's spinoff.

The plaintiffs have pointed to GM's promotional claims that the Bolt's new battery cell and pack could deliver more than 200 miles of driving range.

“GM has agreed to address the matter [in the event of a class-action lawsuit],” a spokesperson from LG Energy Solution told the Korea JoongAng Daily Thursday. “We don't take a position on this matter, as GM is the entity responsible for the recall.”

Shares of LG Energy Solution dropped by 1.94 percent from the previous day on Thursday, closing at 429,000 won.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]