WASHINGTON — The government “pulled no punches” in investigating battery fires in the Volt, General Motors’ prized electric car, the head of the federal auto safety agency told Congress on Wednesday.
At a combative House hearing, Republicans questioned whether the government’s partial ownership in the automaker created a conflict of interest in the Chevrolet probe, which began after a test car caught fire in June, three weeks after a side-impact test.
The government still owns 26.5 percent of GM’s shares.
“We pulled no punches” during the investigation, said David Strickland, who heads the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Asked whether the company got a pass from his agency, he replied, “No, absolutely not.”
But Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, who led the hearing by the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee, said he found it “deeply troubling” that the agency waited until November to notify the public about the fire.
Strickland said he would have gone public immediately if there were an imminent safety risk. He said it would have been irresponsible to tell people that something was wrong with the Volt while experts looked into the cause of the fire.
In response, the committee chairman, Republican Darrell Issa, R-Calif., said, “I hear you. I don’t believe you.”
Issa added: “The fact is, your administration is not up to speed to maintain safety in an electric age.”
Republicans questioned whether the delay was because of new mileage standards that were negotiated last year. Strickland insisted there was no connection and said he had not been pressured by anyone.
