D. Gilson is a writer and author of essays, poetry, and scholarship that explore the relationship between popular culture, literature, sexuality, and memoir. His latest book is Jesus Freak, with Will Stockton, part of Bloomsbury’s 33 1/3 Series. His other books include I Will Say This Exactly One Time and Crush. His first chapbook, Catch & Release, won the 2012 Robin Becker Prize from Seve...

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Jeffrey Johnson is a legal writer with a focus on personal injury. He has worked on personal injury and sovereign immunity litigation in addition to experience in family, estate, and criminal law. He earned a J.D. from the University of Baltimore and has worked in legal offices and non-profits in Maryland, Texas, and North Carolina. He has also earned an MFA in screenwriting from Chapman Univer...

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Reviewed by Jeffrey Johnson
Insurance Lawyer

UPDATED: Jul 14, 2021

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GM says the Chevrolet Volt is safe as it offers Volt owners free loaner cars.
GM maintains the Chevrolet Volt is safe as it offers Volt owners free loaner cars. (GM)

If you’re one of the 5,000 or so Americans that have joined the electric vehicle movement by buying a Chevrolet Volt, you’ve probably been following the news regarding fires on Volts that were crash tested by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).

As you may recall, a Chevrolet Volt caught fire in a storage facility three weeks after the NHTSA had conducted a side-impact crash test. That got the NHTSA’s attention, and since then, two other Volts have undergone crash testing and also caught fire. So the NHTSA opened a formal safety defect investigation on the Volt, which is currently underway.

General Motors continues to say that Chevrolet Volts are safe, but they’ve decided they’ll be contacting each of the more than 5,000 Volt owners to let them know first-hand GM’s stance. In a measure to reassure any concerned Volt owner, the automaker has also established a loaner car program for them while the safety investigation continues.

GM has long maintained that the NHTSA hadn’t followed proper post-crash procedures when they crashed tested the first Volt that caught fire. Had those procedures been followed, the fires experienced by the NHTSA wouldn’t have occurred.

They’ve also pointed out that none of the handful of Volts that have been involved in real-world crashes have caught fire. According to GM, the battery isn’t involved in the fire, but rather, the electronics contained within them.

“We don’t think there’s an immediate fire risk,” said GM North American President Mark Reuss. “This is a post-crash activity.” If you owned a Chevrolet Volt, would you take advantage of GM’s offer of a free loaner car?

What Should Consumers Know about Chevy Volt Fires?

Chevy Volts were recalled with the official solution being battery replacement. 6 cars were documented catching fire and leading to the recall. While the initial car was in storage, other fires caused serious property damage. The good news is nobody has been hurt in these fires. The incidents in question were specifically after the Chevy Volts were involved in accidents or crash tests. 

GM issued Volt owners quality loaner cars. With safety enhancements on newer Volt cars, manufacturers feel buyers can experience incredible savings without associated risk.

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Will It Cost You More to Insure a Chevy Volt?

Every car manufacturer has issued recalls and faced controversy at some point. Even with time passing, some may hesitate to put teen drivers and other potentially accident prone users in a similar car. Insurers look at the bigger picture and rely heavily on published safety ratings in setting prices. 

To get a quote and see what kind of insurance rates you can expect with your car, enter your zip code and get started.