New software update for Bolt EVs will limit charging to 80%, avert fire risk

General Motors has announced that it has started rolling out a software update for all 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EVs that are yet to receive a battery module replacement in order to avert fire risk while charging, Electrek reported. The new update will limit battery charging in Bolt EVs to 80% and will also allow owners to fully discharge battery charge, if necessary, to extract more driving range.

Owners of Bolt EVs from model years 2017–2018 and 2020 or later will also receive the new software update sometime in the next 30 days.

The new software update will come as a breather to all Bolt EVs owners who are still waiting for the battery module replacement. “Software update… will remove the parking and charging limitations on their vehicles while we work on building replacement battery modules," General Motors informed in a statement sent to Electrek.

The update will also run diagnostics for battery vehicle to detect specific abnormalities that might indicate a rare battery issue.

Bolt EV owners were earlier advised to charge their vehicles to a maximum of 90% and extract a minimum of 70 miles of range. They were also advised to park their vehicles 50 feet away from others, not charge their vehicles overnight and also to not charge their vehicles indoors. But with the new update, all these restrictions will be dropped.

Meanwhile, the automaker will continue with the previously announced recall procedure for over 140,000 Bolts EVs from 2017 to 2022 model years to replace battery modules. The new battery modules for the recalled Chevrolet Bolt EVs will include an extended limited battery warranty of 8-year/100,000-mile.

The carmaker also reached an agreement with its South Korean battery partner LG Electronics last month to recover a cost of $1.9 billion from the latter out of the $2 billion spent in the costs for the recall of Chevrolet Bolt EVs. The automaker will recognize the recovery in its third-quarter earnings report.