If you made the decision to go electric with your vehicle, you may be entitled to compensation. A class action lawsuit has been taken out against General Motors regarding a defective battery in the Chevrolet Bolt range. With great batteries comes greater problems, it seems as this is not the first lawsuit to be taken out because of a battery defect. Renowned tech company, Apple, was recently embroiled in a class action suit that alleged the batteries of the Apple Watch would swell and overheat. The Chevy Bolt range is facing similar allegations of overheating batteries — of course, this issue is on a much larger scale than a smartwatch battery.
$150 million class action settlement from General Motors
A $150 million settlement has been agreed upon by vehicle manufacturer, General Motors, along with LG Electronics. This hefty lawsuit settlement aims to serve as a resolution to claims that the pair of companies had manufactured EVs with defective batteries that are prone to igniting and causing fires.
The vehicles at the center of the lawsuit are Chevrolet Bolts, a battery powered motor vehicle. General Motors is the parent company to Chevrolet and the batteries for these vehicles were manufactured by LG Electronics.
Both General Motors and LG are maintaining their innocence regarding the lawsuit. However, despite not admitting to any wrongdoing, the companies have agreed to make the $150 million settlement payout to eligible members of the class action.
The details of the lawsuit state, “GM manufactured the Chevrolet Bolt with defective LG batteries that could cause fires.’ Drivers of the faulty Bolt are of the belief that both GM and LG did not do their due diligence and warn customers of the potential fire risks despite being aware of defects with the battery, nor did they make any attempts at financial responsibility.
Eligibility and case details
To be able to claim a share of the settlement, individuals would have had to have purchased or leased a 2017-2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV model. These Bolt EVs also had to have been built and shipped to a dealer on or prior to August 19, 2021.
The terms of the Chevy Bolt settlement dictate that a cash payment that is proportionate to the cost of repairs that the vehicle received or was due to receive, will be paid to class members. Furthermore, a $700 payment will be allotted to members with vehicles that were eligible for a battery replacement.
If you had formerly owned or leased the applicable Chevy Bolt, you may also be able to claim the $700 payment. This applies even if your vehicle had become eligible for a software remedy after the duration of your lease was up or the vehicle was sold.
Non-monetary benefits will also be granted to class members in the form of advanced diagnostic software to detect battery anomalies, provided by General Motors.
Additionally, if you are or were in possession of a Chevy Bolt that underwent software remedies, you will be entitled to a generous payout of $1,400.
Important dates and details
January 24, 2025 is the final deadline for objection and one month later on February 24, 2025, the deadline for exclusion closes.
March 25, 2025 has been scheduled for the final approval hearing for the Chevy Bolt defective battery settlement.
In order to claim your share of the settlement, a valid claim form must be submitted by no later than February 24, 2025. Claims can be filed through the settlement website which can be found here.
Claimants can receive a maximum payout of $2,100, depending on eligibility. Proof of purchase including your title, vehicle registration, lease contract and driver’s license or other government-issued photo ID is needed when submitting a claim to ensure you meet the eligibility requirements for the settlement.