General Motors CEO Dan Akerson has been asked to appear in front of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee next week to discuss fire risks related to the automaker’s technological flagship, the Chevrolet Volt.
The CEO has not yet made a decision on whether to testify, a GM spokesman told The Detroit News. Akerson has not testified at the United States Capitol since becoming GM’s CEO about 17 months ago.
A hearing titled “Volt Vehicle Fire: What did NHTSA know and when did they know it?” is scheduled for January 25.
The extended-range EV came under fire – literally – when battery packs in a pair of Volts caught fire after a series of government safety tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA is said to have informed the White House about the first fire, which occurred in June, as late as September, but it did not disclose the incident until mid-November. As part of its investigation as to whether politics played into the decision to delay the news regarding the fire, the committee is expected to demand NHTSA turn over records regarding the incident.
