Speaking at the Washington (D.C.) Auto Show, U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said on Wednesday that part of reviving the dormant Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing loan program may involve making suppliers as well as automakers eligible for the more than $15 billion allocated for the ATVM program that was never loaned out. The program stalled 2011 after the high profile failures of two loan recipients, Fisker Automotive and Vehicle Production Group. Of the other three recipients of ATVM loans, Tesla repaid its loan early and Ford and Nissan continue to pay down their debts on schedule.
“We are looking at what those options might be including the potential of looking at the supply chain with a loan program,” Moniz said . “Looking at the supply chain may be an important focus for a new program.”
When asked for a timetable for when the program would be revived and expanded, Moniz declined to be specific saying, “hopefully it’ll be soon”.
