Now, after at least three crash-tests resulted in fires or sparks from the vehicle's lithium-ion battery pack, GM is working to reassure consumers the Volt is safe and avoid a potentially embarrassing gaffe just as its turnaround is taking hold.
On Monday, the Detroit auto maker took the unprecedented step of offering loaner vehicles to any of the about 6,000 Chevrolet Volt owners who might be concerned about the vehicle's safety while it and U.S. regulators try to determine whether the car is a fire risk after a serious crash.
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GM said it believes sparks or fires that occurred in three Volt batteries following crash tests by the NHTSA were caused by electronics malfunctions and not overheating chemicals within the battery cell. The company has assembled a team of engineers to work with federal safety officials to pinpoint the cause and work out a solution.
GM is now working on fixes that would make the battery design sturdier, GM product chief Mary Barra said on Monday. Nissan Motor Co.'s Leaf, the only other mass-market electric car on sale in the U.S., has a steel encasement around its battery that helps protect it and prevent the possibility of a fire in the event of a crash.
Nissan's Leaf also doesn't require coolant to regulate the temperature of the battery. The Volt and most other electric cars headed to market do. A coolant line was damaged in the initial Volt crash test.
more:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203935604577066232270911886.html
And, from a follow-up article:
In May, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration performed a crash test of a Volt and three weeks later the battery in the vehicle caught fire. Earlier this month, NHTSA tested three volt battery packs for crash-worthiness. One eventually caught fire; sparks flew from a second and a third showed no problems.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204449804577068671204658852.html