Issa accuses Obama administration of hiding problem with electric car batteries

The chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), and a pair of other Republicans is accusing the Obama administration of hiding problems with the batteries of Chevrolet's Volt because they favored electric cars.

Issa and Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) wrote a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this week asking for documents related to the agency's inspection of the Chevy Volt.

The electric car's battery has reportedly been catching on fire, according to recent reports, which the lawmakers said NHTSA covered up because the Obama administration was pushing higher fuel efficiency standards.

“As you are aware, the proposed [Corporate Average Fuel Economy] regulations rely heavily on the commercial deployment of electric vehicle technology, and provide manufacturers significant incentives to produce electric vehicles," the lawmakers wrote Wednedsay to NHTSA Administrator David Strickland.

"The administration has heavily touted that Chevrolet Volt as an alternative technology vehicle that could ‘meet or surpass’ the fuel efficiency targets by 2025," they continued. "In light of the administration’s clear promotion of electric vehicle technology, we are deeply troubled by the fact that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has deliberately suppressed public knowledge of the safety risk posed by the Chevrolet Volt’s lithium-ion battery system.”

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has defended the highway safety agency. He told reporters Thursday that it was "absolutely not true" that issues with the Volt were hidden, according to reports, and he has said that the electric cars are safe to drive.