2020-2022 Chevy Bolt owners, starting yesterday evening, began receiving messages that their high voltage battery replacements would no longer be happening. Instead, a software diagnostics tool would be used to verify if the batteries had problems before a replacement would be performed. As anyone would expect, Bolt owners are up in arms.
GM initiated a recall in 2021 after a small number of Bolts high voltage batteries caught fire. The battery replacements were to take place on all pre-existing Bolts with the affected LG battery packs. Basically, every 2017-2020 Bolt. See our Bolt Recall Guide for all the details here.
I got a call today from the Chevrolet Concierge letting me know that GM has come up with a software fix instead of replacing the main battery on 2020-2022 Bolts. They will install software that puts the vehicle back to allowing 100% charging and it monitors the car to see if there are any defects in the battery pack. Once it passes these tests they will remove the safety recall on your vehicle.
I made an appointment with my dealer to get this software installed next week. They told me that GM tested the removed batteries on 2020-2020 Bolts and found that most were not found to be defective so they did not need to be replaced.
Once the safety recall is removed I should be able to buy my car at the end of the 36 month lease in August or earlier.
Or perhaps they started changing in May when GM updated its recall documentation. A commenter, Dave Salman, found out that GM sneakily updated its recall documentation to the HHTSA:
Another document GM submits to NHTSA is a 573 report. There are 3 of these reports on the NHTSA website for the battery recall for 2020-2022 Bolts. (Links to follow) The first two are from 2021 and say the remedy is battery replacement. The latest is from May 2023 and says the remedy is “In certain vehicles that GM has determined may contain defective battery modules, the remedy is the replacement of the vehicle’s high-voltage battery pack. In all other vehicles, the remedy is the installation of advanced diagnostic software that will monitor battery performance and identify defective battery modules that require replacement.” In typical GM weasel word (or lack thereof) style the May 2023 document doesn’t highlight the change or explain what made the change possible. The new document is here https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2021/RCLRPT-21V650-3740.PDF The older documents are here https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2021/RCLRPT-21V650-4541.PDF and here https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2021/RCLRPT-21V650-2919.PDF
Here are screen grabs from the old (left) – and new as of May 2023 – documents:
Old RemedyNew Remedy
Presented with the above, a GM spokesperson told us:
GM will provide owners of certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUVs covered under a previously announced recall a new advanced diagnostics software. The software will continually monitor the battery to detect any potential anomalies and, if none are detected after approximately 6,200 miles (10,000 km) of use, the battery will automatically return to 100% state of charge without a return trip to the dealer.
If an anomaly is detected, the software will alert the owner via a message on the driver information center and the owner should then contact their dealer to schedule a battery or module replacement.
The software is free and will need to be installed by their dealer via a brief service appointment.
Owners of certain 2020-2022 model year Bolt EV and EUVs, can start to schedule installation at their Chevy EV dealer June 13, 2023.
General motors
GM also clarified that ’20-22 Bolt owners were never promised new batteries. Instead they were promised fixed defective modules. Until yesterday, that was taking the form of replaced batteries however.
It is important to note here that this only applies to 2020-2022 Bolt owners. 2017-2019 Bolt owners should still receive a replacement battery.
Electrek’s Take
So the obvious problem here is that GM was delivering new batteries to all 2020-2022 Bolt owners, and then slow-rolled the replacement. Some ’20-22 Bolts were resold with the promise of a new battery with new warranty en route; others got the battery if they were lucky.
’20-22 Bolt owners who didn’t get the new battery are pissed, even though this new software will allow Bolt owners that have been only charging to 80% for over a year to charge to 100% again. The software, if you believe GM at this point, will detect if there is a problem and if so, the battery replacement will again happen. If not, the 2020-2022 batteries will operate normally. These batteries have the increased 259 mile range on 65kWh over the 2017-2019 batteries which had 234 miles of range on 60kWh.
Another comms own goal from GM here. Getting ahead of this would have been advisable in my opinion rather than filling a Facebook and Reddit groups up with disoriented and angry Bolt owners.
Off the top of my head GM could have:
Told ’20-22 owners about the change so they don’t hear about it on Facebook(or Electrek!)
Offered to make the battery warranty the same time duration as getting a new battery with a “GM Verified” on battery so it doesn’t hurt the resale value.
Give owners free Onstar, lifetime premium app features for their trouble. Maybe some more EVGO miles.
So I bought my 2021 bolt 3 months ago, contingent that it didn’t have the battery replaced yet because I wanted the new battery and warranty. Bought at 9.7k miles and currently have 12.2k miles. Bought it at a BMW dealer.
I’m at a loss atm, literally the only reason I bought a used bolt was basically getting a brand new vehicle after the replacement. I had options to buy a new one (weirdly various dealers had new ones around Central florida so I had plenty to choose from at the time). I got a decent deal on the car but now my thoughts are the car will be devalued compared to replaced battery’s, I don’t have a new warranty, I don’t know how the previous owner took care of the battery’s, I “settled” on an lt instead of getting something more loaded or new model. And I’ve been running at 80% since I bought the car so it’s been slightly an inconvenience on range.
Basically what is my course of action for this? If they add the software with a new warranty I guess that’d be comparable, but as it stands I don’t want this vehicle, I feel like I got conned and gm is taking the east way out and not paying the millions it would cost to replace the rest of the batterys.
Obviously consult a lawyer is #1 but what kind of lawyer? What do I ask for? Any help is appreciated thank you for your time
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This new electric side-by-side from CFMoto is a battery-powered workhorse designed to deliver all the utility and hauling capacity of a traditional side-by-side without any of the noise, emissions, or maintenance headaches of gas power.
CFMoto isn’t a household name in the US – but there really should be a “yet” at the end of that statement. Over the last few decades, the brand has evolved from selling Honda Helix clones with GY6 (?) motors to seriously capable, modern machines like this: their latest U6 EV.
The CFMoto U6 EV is both a credible and relatively affordable SxS contender in this fastest-growing powersports segment. The U6 UTV features a 300V “ternary lithium” battery (Lithium Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt, or “LiNMC“) with 15.29 kW of usable capacity, automotive-grade charging, and payload and towing specs that put it right up against more universally-known (in the US, anyway) rival brands like Can-Am or John Deere.
Power and performance
Unlike the brand’s early scooters, which (if memory serves) used somewhat generic GY6 150cc gas motors, the U6 is equipped with a proprietary powertrain that delivers 35 kW (~47 hp) and 74 Nm (~55 lb-ft) of torque at 0 rpm. More than enough to get the Chinese UTV up to speed on country roads and rugged terrain.
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That battery and motor combination is good enough to offer U6 owners more than 100 km (62 miles) of range, though that drops a bit when the SxS is loaded up with its 460 kg (1,015 lb.) payload (250 kg in the cargo tray, plus passengers), and 800 kg (1,760 lb.) towing capacity.
U6 EV interior
“Inside” the U6 EV’s cabin, drivers will have access to CFMoto’s advanced tech suite, bluetooth connectivity, even a weather and grime-resistant sound system optional.
CFMoto buyers can add a range of additional upgrades and options, as well, including doors, rear windows, windshield wipers, and an opening front windshield. If you’re pu in Wisconsin (where I’d have one, if I had one), there are even aftermarket companies offering “street legalizing kits” in states where ATVs and UTVs like this are legal to be driven on public roads.
The U6 EV is available globally, and will (allegedly) be available in the US sometime in 2026. You can check out the official CFMoto launch video, below, then let us know what you think of the U6 in the comments.
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Can an EV really help power your home when the power goes out? It’s one of the biggest FAQs people have about electric cars — but the answer can be a bit confusing. It’s either a yes, with a but – or a no, with an unless. To find out which EVs can offer vehicle-to-home (V2H) tech to keep the lights on or even lower your energy bills, keep on reading.
Modern EVs have big, efficient batteries capable of storing enough energy to power home for days. That can mean backup power during a storm or the ability to use stored energy during expensive peak hours and recharge again when kilowatts are cheap.
That’s all true – but only in theory. Because, while your EV might have a big battery, that doesn’t mean it has the special hardware and software that allow electricity to safely flow back out of the car baked in. Car companies call this vehicle-to-home (V2H) or bi-directional charging, and only a handful of models currently support it. That’s that, “yes, with a but” asterisk.
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Yes, an EV can power your home, but it has to be one of these.
So, if you’re excited about the upcoming RSX or Honda’s 0 electric rides and want to take advantage of V2x tech, you don’t have much longer to wait. No word on pricing.
Ford F-150 Lightning
F-150 Lightning powers home; via Ford.
Ford made early headlines using its F-150 Lightning as a life-saving generator during winter ice storms and hurricanes, so it should come as no surprise that it’s included in this list. The best-selling electric truck in America can send up to 9.6 kW of power from its onboard batteries back to the house. More than enough to keep the lights on and the refrigerator running during an outage.
To make it work, you’ll need to install the Charge Station Pro (formerly called Intelligent Backup Power) home charger, the Home Integration System (HIS), which includes an inverter, a transfer switch, and a small battery to switch the system on, as well Ford’s Charge Station Pro 80A bi-directional charger (which comes free with the Extended Range F-150 Lightning, but costs about $1,300 otherwise).
All-in, you’re looking at about $5,000 in hardware, plus installation, to make it work.
When paired with the Quasar 2 bidirectional charger from Wallbox (and the associated Power Recovery Unit, or PRU), a fully-charged Kia EV9 can power a standard suburban home for three days. Longer, still, if you’re keeping the energy use low. The Wallbox Quasar 2 isn’t cheap, though – pricing starts at $6,440 (again, plus installation). For that price, you the PRU plus a wall-mounted 12 kW L2 charger with 12.8 kW of with discharge power on a split-phase system.
Pretty much all the GM EVs
Chevy Silverado, Equinox, and Blazer EVs at Tesla Supercharger; GM.
With the exception of the Chevy Brightdrop, GMC Hummer EV, and the hand-built, ultra-luxe Cadillac CELESTIQ, every Ultium-based GM EV can send battery power back to your home through GM Energy’s Ultium Home System – arguably the most fully integrated EV + battery backup + solar option out there outside of Tesla.
GM Energy says its new 19.2 kW Powershift Charger delivers around 6-7% more juice than a typical 11.5 kW L2 charger, delivering up to 51 miles of range per charge hour. Bi-directional charging requires the Powershift Charger to be paired up with a compatible GM EV and the GM Energy V2H Enablement Kit. The full system retails for $12,699, plus installation, and can be financed through GM Financial.
NOTE: some 2024 models might require a software update to enable V2H functionality, which can be done either at the dealer or through an OTA update.
Taiga Orca WX3
Taiga Orca WX3; via Taiga.
Candian startup Taiga have been offering high-performance electric watercraft for several years now. For 2026, their third-gen offering features automotive-grade fast charging that will allow riders to plug into the same fast charging networks their electric cars and trucks use, getting them back in the water in 30 minutes or less.
That said, this isn’t an article about fast-charging your PWC. Taiga is incorporating bidirectional charging into all its electric watercraft as of 2026, turning the PWC EVs into a mobile energy resources that can recharge equipment at the dock, power hotel loads on larger yachts, or bring power to an off-grid cabin or campsite.
That rounds off the list of vehicles that ship with V2H software baked in, so if you’re wondering whether or not your EV can be used to power your home, now you know the answer is yes, as long as it’s one of the ones listed here. But you might remember that I answered the initial question by saying it was either a yes, with a but – or a no, with an unless. So if you want to use your car’s battery as a backup, but don’t have one of the EVs listed above, that doesn’t mean you’re completely out of luck.
No, with an unless
Fred Lambert explains Sigenergy V2X system.
As some of the earliest and most enthusiastic EV adopters, Tesla fans have also been among the loudest advocates for using the energy stored their cars’ batteries to back up their homes — or even the grid itself. Unfortunately for them, the slow-selling Cybertruck is the only Tesla vehicle that officially supports bi-directional charging. If you’re one of the many Model 3 and Y owners frustrated by those delays, there’s good news: those vehicles are now capable of V2H charging thanks to an “impressive” Powerwall competitor, Sigenergy.
The good news doesn’t stop there, however. The Sigenergy V2X also works with both the popular Kia EV6 and Electrek‘s 2024 EV of the Year, the Volvo EX30 over the DIN70121 protocol, and several VW/Audi/Porsche and Mercedes-Benz EVs over the ISO15118-2 protocol.
Our own Editor-in-Chief, Fred Lambert, recently went on a Sigenergy deep dive with Sylvain Juteau, President of Roulez Electrique, and came away deeply impressed with the system. I’ve included the video, above, and you can read more about the system itself at this link.
And, of course, I look forward to learning about any V2H models or more universal battery backup systems from you, the smartest readers in the blogosphere, in the comments.
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The Trump administration needs to strike multiple deals with U.S. miners to secure the nation’s supply chain against China, said Mark Chalmers, CEO of Energy Fuels, a miner focused on uranium and rare earth minerals.
The Pentagon decision to take an equity stake in MP Materials, the largest U.S. rare earth miner, in July and support the company with a price floor surprised many in the industry, Chalmers told CNBC.
But it was a necessary step that the White House should now follow with more deals to diversify the U.S. supply chain and reduce the risk that would come with backing a single national champion, the CEO said.
“One company doesn’t fix it,” Chalmers said of the MP Materials deal. “You have to have multiple deals to ensure that you don’t just have the company risk, because all companies aren’t going to deliver.”
The White House is “not ruling out other deals with equity stakes or price floors as we did with MP Materials, but that doesn’t mean every initiative we take would be in the shape of the MP deal,” a Trump administration official told CNBC.
Rare earths are key inputs in weapons platforms such as the F-35 warplane as well as consumer products like electric vehicles and smartphones. The U.S. is almost entirely dependent on China, which supplied 70% of rare earth imports in 2023, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
China has manipulated the market by suppressing prices to drive Western competition from the market, said Ryan Castilloux, founder of Adamas Intelligence, a critical mineral market research firm. The MP deal demonstrated that the U.S. is willing to break with free market ideals and push back against China by mimicking its model of strategic capitalism when necessary, Castilloux said.
“We’ve seen just how disadvantaged the free market view is versus a long term, industrial policy driven market — and something needed to give,” Castilloux, an expert on critical minerals, told CNBC.
Possible rare earth targets
Energy Fuels’ stock has surged nearly 200% since the MP deal on July 10, as investors speculate that it could be a deal target for the Trump administration. Critical mineral miner NioCorp Developments is also up almost 200%, Ramaco Resources has gained 140%, and USA Rare Earth is up more than 70%.
MP Materials will likely need more heavy rare earths as it develops a second facility to make magnets under the Defense Department deal, Castilloux said. Heavy rare earths are needed to produce magnets that can withstand high temperatures in EV motors and defense industry applications, he said.
Headquartered in Denver, Energy Fuels is the largest uranium miner in the U.S. and is forming a rare earth operation through mines it has acquired around the world. Its operation will produce heavy rare earths, Chalmers said.
Energy Fuels is focused on “providing a product that is attractive to the U.S government” and complements the strengths of MP Materials, the CEO said.
“The government cannot bet on one horse — it just doesn’t make sense,” Chalmers said. “We spend a lot of time in D.C. making sure they understand the merits of our strategy,” he said.
Trump eyes lithium
Other critical minerals like lithium, cobalt and graphite are ripe for federal investment to smooth out volatile price fluctuations that undermine U.S. miners, said Rich Nolan, CEO of the National Mining Association. Those minerals are all used in batteries, among other applications.
The Trump administration has proposed an equity stake in Lithium Americas, as the Canadian company renegotiates the terms of a $2.2 billion loan from the Department of Energy for its Thacker Pass mine in northern Nevada. The mine is expected to become one of the largest sources of lithium in North America, with the first phase of the project scheduled to start operations in late 2027.
Lithium Americas stock surged more than 90% this week on news of the potential government stake.
Albemarle CEO Kent Masters told CNBC that something “in the ballpark” of the MP deal could apply to the lithium sector. Albemarle, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is one of the largest lithium producers in the world.
“What you want to do is move the market such that private industry can invest behind it,” Masters told CNBC in July, pointing to Apple‘s offtake agreement with MP just days after the Defense Department deal.
Miners seek price floors
While it might take a government equity stake to move the market in some cases, the price floor established by the Pentagon in the MP deal is the “critical part” that allows private industry to invest and build out the supply chain, Masters said.
Price support from the federal government “sends a true market signal that these investments are long term, that they are here to stay,” the National Mining Association’s Nolan said.
Under the MP deal, the Pentagon set a price floor of $110 per kilogram for neodymium-praseodymium oxide, orNdPr, a key input in rare-earth magnets. The government pays MP the difference when the market price is below $110 but in turn takes 30% of the upside when the price is above $110.
The price of NdPr surged 40% in the wake of the MP deal, Castilloux said.
“It serves as a blueprint for any market where suppressed pricing is slanting the competitive playing field against the U.S. and its allies,” the analyst said of the price floor. The deal signals that “there is a way to break free of China’s artificially suppressed pricing,” he said.