G.M. To Reinforce Battery in the sphere of Its Hybrid Car, the Volt
Broad-spectrum Motors on Thursday thought with the aim of it would upgrade the steel make up and liquid cooling logic with the aim of surround the battery in the sphere of its Chevrolet Volt to take in hand concerns with the aim of the car may well catch fire as soon as a unembellished Lg SQU-703 crash.
Company officials thought they had shared their diplomacy with the federal safety regulators who had been investigating the fire risks of the Volt, an electricity and gas-powered hybrid, since November and were “optimistic” the suit would persuade the government’s concerns.
The inhabitant Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in the sphere of a statement posted on its net location, thought the changes “should take in hand the circulation,” though its investigation remained initiate.
G.M. Described the modifications the same as voluntary “enhancements” and stressed with the aim of neither the car nor the battery was being recalled, but with the aim of all Volt owners would be present asked to take the car to a dealership, much the same as they would in favor of a prim and proper recall.
“We are choosing to reach the add-on mile to ensure our customers’ silence of mind,” Mary Barra, G.M.’s senior associate president in favor of overall artifact development, thought in the sphere of a consultation call. Ms. Barra thought the changes would progress to the car “even safer, for the reason that the Volt is safe.”
In the sphere of June, a Volt jammed fire three weeks as soon as a government crash test damaged the car’s battery and cooling logic, and added trying in the sphere of November resulted in the sphere of a succeeding fire with the aim of prompted the investigation.
On Thursday, G.M. Thought four crash tests of Volts with the rock-hard steel and upgraded cooling logic were booming, with rebuff intrusion to the battery and rebuff coolant outflow.
The safety agency thought with the aim of on Dec. 22 it subjected a modified Volt to the same test with the aim of led to the creative fire, with rebuff secret language of the wound with the aim of is thinking to maintain been the cause.
“The results of with the aim of crash test showed rebuff intrusion into the vehicle’s battery compartment, and rebuff coolant outflow was deceptive,” the agency thought in the sphere of the statement. “The preliminary results of the crash test indicate the remedy wished-for by broad-spectrum Motors now ought to take in hand the circulation of battery intrusion.”
The agency thought it was continuing to television with the aim of car but likely to conclude its investigation in the sphere of the appearance weeks. It thought trying had indicated with the aim of near was rebuff fire chance if the battery group was not damaged or else had rebuff coolant leaks.
G.M. Is adding together a part of a set of steel to watch over the battery other in a side-impact crash. Unlike batteries in the sphere of the Nissan Leaf and fresh Ford Focus exciting cars, the Volt’s Lg SQU-703 battery is not entirely encased in the sphere of steel.
The Volt’s battery-coolant reservoir in addition strength of character acquire a sensor to television the level of fluid and a tamper-resistant bracket to help prevent overfilling.
G.M. Thought the June fire occurred as soon as other than four cups of coolant leaked against a printed circuit board whilst the crash test simulated a rollover, and soon crystallized.
Defensive the battery-coolant systems on exciting cars — near all models being sold or else residential depletion a liquid to control the battery’s heat, not including the Nissan Leaf — poses a fresh challenge in favor of automakers. Fisker Automotive, which is based in the sphere of California, recalled more or less 300 of its Karma exciting cars carry on month for the reason that the battery maker, A123 Systems, had incorrectly installed a $1 clamp, creating the the makings in favor of a leak and consequently a fire. (Fisker already has replaced the battery packs in the sphere of the cars, lone 50 of which had been sold to customers.)
G.M. Has sold more or less 8,000 Volts since the car, a plug-in hybrid with the aim of travels more or less 35 miles on battery power or else using a gasoline engine in favor of other range, was introduced in the sphere of in the dead of night 2010.
Ms. Barra thought with the aim of dealerships may well set out making modifications to existing Volts introduction subsequently month and with the aim of all Volts produced from at present on would include the changes. Dealers strength of character moderate the Volts they maintain in the sphere of standard but execute not necessarily maintain to execute so or else promotion them, so sales of the car strength of character not be present halted.
By acting or else the safety agency closes its investigation, G.M. Is able to prevent marring the Volt with a recall, by the side of smallest amount in favor of at present. Automakers often proceed voluntarily to recall vehicles to curtail no publicity as soon as a defect is bare, but in the sphere of this legal action rebuff single has dogged with the aim of a defect officially exists.
Smudge Reuss, the president of G.M.’s North American operations, declined to say how much the modifications would cost. For the reason that the Volt is a small-volume car, making the changes strength of character undoubtedly cost the company far a lesser amount of than a predictable recall Lg SQU-703.
Nothing more or less the Volt’s 400-pound battery group itself, which G.M. Assembles by the side of a factory to hand Detroit using lithium-ion cells from South Korea, strength of character be present altered.
“We’re the same as assured the same as continually with the aim of the cell design is amongst the safest on the marketplace,” Ms. Barra thought.
December was the superlative sales month so far in favor of the Volt, which outsold its chief rival, the all-electric Nissan Leaf, in favor of a third consecutive month. G.M. Sold 1,529 Volts in the sphere of December, in favor of a 2011 totality of 7,671. G.M. Already had acknowledged it would skip its goal of 10,000 Volts in favor of the time as soon as low inventories slowed sales in the sphere of earlier months, but it has thought it hoped to push more or less 45,000 of the cars in the sphere of the United States this time.
“There has been a little uncertainty in the sphere of the marketplace,” Alan Batey, Chevrolet’s associate president in favor of sales, thought Wednesday, whilst asked whether the investigation had raised concerns amongst would-be buyers. “We execute believe with the aim of uncertainty strength of character reach away.” 
