GM Ultium Charger Lawsuit Heads to Court After Arbitration Denied

Florida judge rules GM not covered by dealership's arbitration agreement with customers.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 4:24am

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A class action lawsuit against General Motors over alleged defects in its Ultium PowerUP electric vehicle chargers will proceed in federal court after a judge denied GM's motion to compel arbitration. The lawsuit was filed by Florida residents Rick and Kerry Kriseman, who say the chargers repeatedly tripped circuit breakers and failed to properly charge their Cadillac vehicle.

Why it matters

The ruling is a setback for GM, which had argued the dispute should be handled through private arbitration rather than in open court. The judge determined GM was not covered by the arbitration agreement between the Krisemans and the Cadillac dealership where they leased their vehicle.

The details

The Krisemans allege the Ultium PowerUP chargers, sold by GM for 2022-2024 model year electric vehicles, are defective and unable to reliably charge cars. They say the chargers' internal circuit breakers repeatedly tripped, forcing them to manually reset the breaker to resume charging. The lawsuit claims GM was aware of the purported defects but failed to warn customers.

  • The Krisemans leased a Cadillac and purchased a GM Ultium PowerUP charger in August 2024.
  • The class action lawsuit was filed in March 2026.

The players

Rick and Kerry Kriseman

Florida residents who filed a class action lawsuit against GM over alleged defects in its Ultium PowerUP electric vehicle chargers.

General Motors, LLC

The automaker that manufactured and sold the Ultium PowerUP chargers at the center of the lawsuit.

Judge Mary S. Scriven

The federal judge who ruled against GM's motion to compel arbitration, allowing the lawsuit to proceed in court.

Morgan & Morgan

The law firm representing the Krisemans in the class action lawsuit against GM.

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What they’re saying

“No paper submitted to the Court establishes that Defendant falls in any such category. Accordingly, unless an exception applies, Defendant's Motion is due to be denied on the basis there is no valid arbitration agreement between Defendant and Plaintiffs.”

— Judge Mary S. Scriven, U.S. District Court Judge

What’s next

The case will now proceed in federal court, with GM facing the class action lawsuit over the alleged Ultium PowerUP charger defects.

The takeaway

This ruling highlights the challenges automakers can face when trying to compel customers to resolve product defect disputes through private arbitration rather than open court proceedings. The decision allows the Krisemans and potentially other affected Ultium charger owners to have their claims heard publicly.