"The Volt's entry into the market came soon after GM's emergence from its government rescue and restructuring -- and during this political season," Akerson said in his written testimony. "As such, the Volt seems, perhaps unfairly, to have become a surrogate for some to offer broader commentary on General Motors' business prospects and Administration policy."
Imminent Risk
Obama, in the speech, took credit for taking the U.S. auto industry from the "verge of collapse."
"Today, General Motors is back on top as the world's number-one automaker," Obama said to applause. "Chrysler has grown faster in the U.S. than any major car company. Ford is investing billions in U.S. plants and factories. And together, the entire industry added nearly 160,000 jobs."
Issa has questioned the delays by GM and the regulator in notifying the public about a safety defect. He asked NHTSA's Strickland in December whether his agency "deliberately suppressed" disclosure.
Strickland, in his testimony, said his agency took the "uncommon step" of opening the Volt investigation without any fires reported outside crash tests to "ensure the safety of the driving public with the emerging electric vehicle technology."
Had there been "an imminent safety risk," the agency "would have ensured the public knew about that risk immediately," he told the panel.
'Technical Showcase'
GM began selling the Volt, which Akerson called "a technical showcase for GM," after a 2009 U.S. government bailout. It was introduced as a concept car at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Obama has set a goal of having 1 million electric vehicles on U.S. roads by 2015. The Volt, a plug-in hybrid, and the Nissan Leaf, a fully electric model, were the only two mass- produced electric vehicles in the U.S. market last year.