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Leaky batteries slow GM hybrid production

Leaky batteries slow GM hybrid production

Nelson Ireson June 2nd, 2008 Nelson Ireson By Nelson Ireson Author June 2nd, 2008
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December 31st, 1969 With all the industry talk lately about batteries, the plants that build them and the technologies used in their construction it's clear that much of the automotive future will center around them. It turns out that a good portion of GM's present does too, thanks to 9,000 hybrids failing due to leaky battery packs supplied by Cobasys. The failed nickel-metal hydride battery packs caused the computer inside the hybrid cars to shut down the hybrid portion of the drivetrain, returning the vehicles to standard combustion-engine-only status, reports Automotive News. The cars affected include 2007 Saturn Vue Green Line and Saturn Aura Green Line hybrids. The 9,000 vehicles affected have already been recalled for fixes. But the recall process meant a slowdown in the construction of new 2008 Saturn and Chevy Malibu hybrids. The goal had been to build around 27,000 hybrid vehicles in 2008, but the new number es expected to come up well short of that mark. It's sure to be a costly incident for GM, as rising fuel prices are boosting sales of hybrids - even mild ones - and the company is already short over 300,000 units of production thanks to the recently-terminated American Axle strike.
Leaky batteries slow GM hybrid production

Leaky batteries slow GM hybrid production

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With all the industry talk lately about batteries, the plants that build them and the technologies used in their construction it's clear that much of the automotive future will center around them. It turns out that a good portion of GM's present does too, thanks to 9,000 hybrids failing due to leaky battery packs supplied by Cobasys.

The failed nickel-metal hydride battery packs caused the computer inside the hybrid cars to shut down the hybrid portion of the drivetrain, returning the vehicles to standard combustion-engine-only status, reports Automotive News. The cars affected include 2007 Saturn Vue Green Line and Saturn Aura Green Line hybrids. The 9,000 vehicles affected have already been recalled for fixes.

But the recall process meant a slowdown in the construction of new 2008 Saturn and Chevy Malibu hybrids. The goal had been to build around 27,000 hybrid vehicles in 2008, but the new number es expected to come up well short of that mark. It's sure to be a costly incident for GM, as rising fuel prices are boosting sales of hybrids - even mild ones - and the company is already short over 300,000 units of production thanks to the recently-terminated American Axle strike.

Tags: Industry, General Motors

Posted in: News, Hybrid


Comments (5 total)

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  1. By chris #1, Posted: 6/2/2008

    ouch.. that sucks. oh well.. better now than later.

  2. By Gus #2, Posted: 6/2/2008

    That's what you get for using the lowest bidder...

  3. By bmbam #3, Posted: 6/2/2008

    Always knew this would happen.
    It leak before with someone else
    but its a good thing, if you see the
    danger side and fix it.

  4. By chris #4, Posted: 6/3/2008

    Gus, my (recently) ex girlfriend worked for a short time as an industrial engineer for a plastics plant that did work for ford, gm, and toyota. "the lowest bidder" is ofcourse very accurate but the parts that are done by contractors are held to high tolerances, and are inspected both at the plant and again at the manufacturing plant, by the car company's employees. Another thing too, is that all of the tooling is owned by the car maker. all of these parts suppliers just provide a facility and labor, the big guy supplies the money, the tools, and the materials. It really doesn't matter who makes it or where it is made. It's cheaper for the big companies to hire these little guys to do the work because they dont have to be unionized (this one plastics plant was an un-airconditioned shop where labour made 10$/h).

    This issue is almost certainly a design issue.. or a materials issue. both of those parameters would be set by GM.

  5. By a different chris #5, Posted: 6/12/2008

    american car companies need to get on the ball. it really makes me sad to see sooo many jap cars on the road.. even though toyota has facilities in america alot of the money goes over seas and out of americas pockets. its just really sad. its killing our economy

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