Toronto man says 2024 electric truck battery had to be replaced after just 3,000 kilometres

A Toronto man said he wanted to do his part for the environment and support his green energy related business by switching over to an all-electric pick-up truck.

“Chevy came out with a 780-kilometre-range electric truck, so I said, ‘Great, let’s go and sign me up,’” Toronto resident George Filtsos told CTV News.

Filtsos bought the loaded 2024 EV RST Chevrolet Silverado in November 2024 for about $140,000 and felt, as someone who works in the green energy sector, he should show his customers he believes in EV vehicles.

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“This is part of what I do for a living which is the electrification of vehicles which is why we’re trying to get people to talk the talk and walk the walk,” said Filtsos.

After driving the truck for only 3,000 kilometres, there were battery error codes, so Filtsos says he took the EV truck back to his dealer and had the main battery was replaced. However, it’s still been in the shop for the past two months with other problems.

“I don’t have any meaningful information as to what’s wrong with the truck, when I’m going to get it back and what happened to the battery in the first place,” said Filtsos.

He says he pays about $2,000 a month for a truck he can’t drive.

“If I have a lemon, get me another truck, get me another one that works,” said Filtsos.

But as CTV News Toronto recently reported, there is no lemon law in Ontario when buying a new vehicle.

After we reached out to General Motors (GM), Filtsos said the truck battery was replaced again for about $30,000 under warranty and he was given $4,000 to cover his two monthly payments.

“GM remains committed to delivering quality service and ensuring a positive ownership experience. We have confirmed that repairs have been completed to the customer’s satisfaction, and Mr. Filtsos is picking up his vehicle today,” a Chevrolet spokesperson told CTV News.

Filtsos said he was relieved to finally get his truck back and hopes the vehicle will be dependable in the future.

“It is a relief, and I hope to have success with this vehicle down the road,” said Filtsos.

There is a demand for more mechanics to work on electric and hybrid vehicles because the systems are very different from gasoline cars. With fewer EV mechanics, it can also lead to longer wait times to have electric vehicles repaired.