Proposed fix to Chevrolet Volt. Click on the image for a larger view

A hybrid car that risked fire following a side-on impact has had a solution identified by General Motors, avoiding the need for a costly recall.

The Chevrolet Volt, which is only available in the US at present, has been under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) since November following the discovery that a coolant leak could lead to a fire in the cars lithium-ion battery pack some weeks after an impact.

The proposed fix will be rolled out on the 8,000 Volts already on the road from February. It involves strengthening the compartment that contains the cells, adding a sensor in the reservoir of the battery coolant system, and installing a new tamper-resistant bracket to the top of the battery coolant reservoir to help prevent potential coolant overfill.

A source told Reuters news agency that it will cost the company just under $9 million to rectify.

The NHTSA are said to be satisfied that this fix will be enough to merit the closure of the investigation into the defect that they first spotted back in May.

Three weeks after a simulated side-on impact a Volt caught fire as leaking coolant seeped onto the electronic circuits of the battery pack, causing a short circuit. This was repeated in additional tests in November, resulting in GM missing their annual sales target for the car as consumer confidence was severely dented during the ongoing investigation.

The solution developed by engineers had the desired result in crash tests and NHTSA administrator David Strickland praised GM, saying, “They really did put customers first.”

Mary Barra, senior vice president at General Motors said, “The Volt has always been safe to drive. Now, we will go the extra mile to ensure our customers’ peace of mind in the days and weeks following a severe crash.”

Green media storm

The Volt received top ratings for safety upon release as well as rave reviews for feeling like “a real car.” The problem of a possible fire has not occurred in a real-world situation as of yet, prompting green campaigners to criticise the motives of mainstream media in playing up the story.

greencarreports.com  describe the fix as an attempt to ‘pacify an unnecessarily alarmed public’, and they also heap praise on a Volt owner interviewed on Fox News for surviving a barrage of criticism from presenter Neil Cavuto, who they describe as the ‘one person who epitomizes those who hate electric cars.’

With the fix in place, GM are set to expand production of the model to 60,000 this year, including 15,000 vehicles earmarked for sale outside of the US. However, expect this story to be picked up by the UK media whenever the model goes on sale here.