WASHINGTON The chair of the House Ways and Means Committee asked Tesla Tuesday to detail its relationship with Chinese battery manufacturer CATL.

Republicans in Congress have been probing Ford Motor's planned $3.5 billion investment to build a battery plant in Michigan using technology from CATL, the world's largest battery maker. The panel's chair, Representative Jason Smith, asked Tesla CEO Elon Musk in a letter if the EV maker has contracts with CATL or is considering contracts. Smith said the committee is concerned CATL "may be trying to negotiate other agreements like the agreement with Ford."

(Reporting by David Shepardson)