GM to offer eigth-year / 100,000 mile warranty for Chevy Volt batteries

[wpsedgwick]

Source: Examiner

General Motors announced its Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle will come with an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty on its advanced lithium ion battery.

According to GM, this is the automotive industry's longest, most comprehensive battery warranty for an electric vehicle, and it's transferable to other vehicle owners at no additional cost.

The battery is the most expensive single component of an electric vehicle such as the plug-in Volt, which is expected to cost up to $40,000.

Read more: http://www.examiner.com/x-42287-Chicago-Green-Technology-Examiner~y2010m7d15-GM-to-offer-eigthyear--100000-mile--warranty-for-Chevy-Volt-batteries

[awoke_in_2003]

1. this is good...

the weak link in any electric car is the battery. This will go a long way toward building consumer confidence.

[Omaha Steve]

2. GM Plans to Offer 8-Year Warranty on Chevrolet Volt’s Battery

Source: Bloomberg

General Motors Co. is moving to boost the confidence of car buyers in the durability of its new Chevrolet Volt electric car with an eight-year warranty on its battery.

The Detroit automaker made the announcement at the factory in Brownstown Township, Michigan, where the batteries will be built. Next year, GM will build 10,000 of the cars, which run on all-electric drive for 40 miles before a gasoline engine recharges the battery. The Volt will initially be sold in Texas, New York, Michigan, California and Washington, D.C.

GM is seeking to use the Volt to challenge the high-tech image Toyota Motor Corp. won with the success of the Prius hybrid, said Jim Hall, principal of consulting firm 2953 Analytics in Birmingham, Michigan. Doing so will require GM to ensure the car performs and to stand behind it with a strong warranty, he said.



Read more: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-07-14/gm-plans-to-offer-8-year-warranty-on-chevrolet-volt-s-battery.html

---

See the FULL story at link. --Editors: Kevin Orland, Jamie Butters.

[formercia]

3. I wonder if it will be prorated with lots of fine print in the warranty.

8 years is a long time for any battery.

[Omaha Steve]

4. A little more info

http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/autos/gm-plans-extended-warranty-for-new-volt-electric-car/19554537/

Doesn't sound like it:

With so much riding on the success of its long-awaited Chevrolet Volt electrically propelled vehicle, GM officials are eager to reassure potential customers that the company will stand behind the car long-term. On Wednesday, the Detroit-based automaker said it will offer an 8-year, 100,000 mile warranty on the Volt -- three years longer than the coverage offered for drive components in other GM models.

The warranty includes all 161 components of the Volt's battery, its charging system, thermal-management system and its electric-drive components, GM said in a statement. The warranty will also be transferable to other vehicle owners and is applicable in all 50 states, the company said.

GM is taking the step to allay concern that battery powered vehicles may become less reliable as the batteries age. Popular hybrid car models currently on the market, including Toyota Motor's (TM) Prius and the Ford Motor's (F) Escape Hybrid, have similar warranties on their battery packs.

See full article from DailyFinance: http://srph.it/c389HZ

http://o.aolcdn.com/dims-global/dims3/BLOG/resize/186x/quality/90/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.dailyfinance.com/media/2009/10/chevy-volt-200,-business-wire,-ap.jpg

[madokie]

13. The 100,000 miles is their ace in the hole

I remember as a kid it would take many years for most people to put that many miles on a vehicle but that isn't the case any longer.

[pattmarty]

5. Hey, I hope they make it. I could cheer for an American company again.

[dem mba]

6. 15 years later....

short-sighted aholes (GM Management).

[kristopher]

7. Under Obama US is dramatically ramping up our battery manufacturing

We now make about 2% of the worlds advanced batteries; the Obama administration is heavily funding investment in manufacturing plants with the goal of raising that to 40% of expected world capacity by 2015.

[johnnyplankton]

8. Why the Fuck are they only building 10,000?

Ed Schultz made this point last week. 

[iamthebandfanman]

9. i dunno, didnt a car company do this before

make a bunch of electric cars...

then took them all back from their owners?

[and-justice-for-all]

11. I believe it is this very same company. nt

[KeepItReal]

15. Maybe because the car will cost nearly $40K

(before the $7500 tax credit)

That is alot to pay for a non-luxury car.

Toyota Prius prices start at $22K

[flvegan]

17. IIRC, they're not making a dime off the Volt.

Matter of fact I read somewhere that they're losing money in each sale. I also believe that the initial run is a test in certain areas and if successful, they'll ramp up production.

[SunnySong]

20. Because even with subsidies they are expensive as a second car n only people with enclosed garages

can use them.

[earcandle]

10. Cool! I want a Volt!

[saigon68]

12. Wait for the Price before you get too excited

[customerserviceguy]

14. It'll need an eight year financing program

But building cars that barely outlast their financing is a GM skill.

[Omaha Steve]

16. Our 91 Caprice lasted until we traded it in as a clunker May 09

It was way our of warranty and dependable.

[dencol]

18. I had a 2000 Chevy Cavalier that didn't last 2 years.

We had to pay to break the lease because of systematic brake failures that they refused to fix, even though they were supposed to be under warranty. After that, we switched to Hyundai and I have 150k+ miles with only a bad bearing after a car accident (which was covered under warranty, surprisingly), and a bad alternator at about 130k miles.

[wysimdnwyg]

19. '95 S10

Made it to 38,000 miles before it started burning oil. Yeah, the warranty ran out at 36,000. Sold that POS less than a month after I paid it off. My Nissan pickup is more than 10 years old, has well over 100,000 miles and has had zero major issues. And yeah, it looks better, drives better and has more power at 10 years old than the Chevy did driving it off the lot.


And for those who might claim "lemon" or blame it on the foolish decision to put a 4-cyl. motor in a truck, my friend's Saturn - with the same engine - also started having major engine issues right after the warranty expired. No matter how cool or great the Volt might turn out to be, I don't expect I'll be getting one.

[saigon68]

21. Absolutely TRUE