DOE finalizes loan to build vehicles in N. Indiana

[dwaxman1]

The U.S. Department of Energy says it's finalized a $50 million loan to a Miami-based company that has a contract with AM General to build wheelchair accessible vehicles in northern Indiana.



The Energy Department said Thursday it finalized the loan with The Vehicle Production Group. The loan will support development of a six-passenger wheelchair accessible vehicle known as MV-1 that will run on compressed natural gas and be built at AM General's plant in Mishawaka. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu says the agency hopes the loan will encourage the development of other compressed natural gas vehicles.



AM General spokesman Celeste Ross says the Mishawaka plant already has 135 people working on pre-production, and will add 60 more workers when production begins.