A Vermont Owner's Chevy Bolt Caught on Fire
Brandon Moore
· 4 min read
Electric vehicles
have the potential to cut down on gas usage and benefit the environment
by producing fewer greenhouse gas emissions. The technology for electric vehicles (EVs) has advanced rapidly, and major manufacturers are now producing EVs. However, the technology is not perfect, and there have been issues.One EV that has faced hurdles has been the Chevy Bolt. While the Bolt has been acclaimed in many areas, it has also faced a rare issue in which the vehicles may catch fire. According to
Automotive News
, the most recent fire happened in Vermont.The Vermont Chevy Bolt fire
The latest Chevy Bolt to experience the issue with fire was a 2019 model owned by a member of the Vermont House of Representatives. Timothy Briglin is an EV advocate and member of the state's House Committee on Energy.
Briglin's Chevy Bolt caught fire while it was charging. This has been the case with other Chevy Bolt fires. Because the fire occurred while Briglin was charging his vehicle, there were thankfully no injuries.
Chevy Bolts aren’t the only electric vehicles that have been the center of controversy. Tesla has also been under the public eye for a recall of the Model 3 and Model Y regarding some cruise control issues.
While these issues may look bad for the Bolt and perhaps EVs in general, Briglin otherwise had only good things to say about the Chevy Bolt. He noted that the car's performance had been great, and he admired the efficiency of EVs.
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Recalls for the Chevy Bolt
MORE: 2022 Chevy Bolt EV and EUV Reporting For Parking Enforcement Duty
In response to this fire as well as at least one other recently documented Chevy Bolt fire, GM has issued a recall. The recall affects 69,000 vehicles from 2017 through 2019. Out of these, 50,000 are in the United States.
The fire risks come from potential issues with the battery. To remedy this, GM will replace the vehicle's battery module and install software to look out for issues in the future. While this should theoretically fix the issues, some are still concerned.
This is the second recall of these models of the Chevy Bolt, and the first recall was for the same issue of vehicles catching fire. In November 2020, GM recalled the vehicles for fire risks, but the issues seem to remain. Timothy Bilgrin's Bolt was repaired during the November recall, and it still caught fire.
What to do if your car is affected
If you drive a vehicle that has been recalled, it can be disheartening. However, you should be able to have the issues with your vehicle addressed with as little stress as possible. When a recall is issued, repairs are made to your vehicle from the manufacturer at no cost to you.
In the meantime, Chevy Bolt owners are advised to take precautions to avoid vehicle fires. Because the fire risk is the highest while charging, Bolt drivers should not leave the car to charge overnight. When parking a Bolt,
avoid indoor parking garages
. Electric vehicles are set up to be the future of the automotive industry. As the Chevy Bolt has demonstrated, though, the transition to electric is not perfect. Timothy Briglin of Vermont's incident demonstrates that issues can happen even when someone cares about a vehicle.
For Vermont drivers, the state has pushed to increase the number of EVs on the road. Whether you drive an electric or gas-powered vehicle, it is important to have insurance to cover your needs. When shopping for coverage, you want to find
affordable plans
.To help navigate the world of buying car insurance,
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