The company laid off all employees and closed its doors in May 2013 after their finances dropped below the minimum condition of a $50 million clean-energy loan awarded by the US Department of Energy in March 2011.

[8] In mid-2008, it was announced that a contract had been signed with South Bend, Indiana-based AM General to build the Standard Taxi taxicabs, beginning in 2009.

[9] Through market feedback, VPG developed a more advanced and user-friendly vehicle known as the MV-1 to replace the Standard Taxi, which never entered series production.

[10] The first MV-1 rolled off the line in October 2011 and was delivered to disabled former American football player Marc Buoniconti, who was a company spokesperson.

[citation needed] The MV-1 is the first purpose-built taxicab to be allowed to enter service as a yellow cab since the iconic Checker Marathon.

[11] Production was temporarily halted in the summer of 2012 as VPG changed its tooling in order to introduce the MV-1 LX, a more luxurious version.