Coda Automotive is now the latest automaker to withdraw its DOE loan request. Citing the DOE's lack of timely response, Coda will no longer seek money from the federal government and will most likely build its future electric vehicles overseas rather than at an assembly site in the US.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released efficiency numbers for the Coda Sedan, assigning a rating of 73 MPGe. Okay, that's disappointing compared to the LEAF's 99 MPGe, the Ford Focus Electric's 105 MPGe and the Mitsubishi i at 112 MPGe. On the other hand, because the Coda has the biggest battery of the bunch, beating all other EVs with an EPA "miles on a charge" rating of 88 miles. These numbers seem designed to instill confusion.

Coda Automotive announced yesterday that it will offer two versions of its electric 2012 Sedan. In addition to its sedan with a range of up to 150 miles, featuring a 36-kWh battery pack and carries a price tag of $39,900, Coda will launch a lower-priced version equipped with a 31-kWh battery and a range of up to 125 miles. This slightly cheaper version of Coda's Sedan will have an MSRP of $37,250.

Coda Automotive aims to sell its electric Sedan starting in February 2012 through its first US dealership, Marvin K. Brown Auto Center, centrally located in the heart of San Diego, California

As I reported for the New York Times Wheels blog this morning, it looks like Coda has turned the corner on the journey to offering its all-electric sedan. Evidence: The company lowered the price by $5,000 to $39,900; it locked in a deal with GE to provide the Level 2 charger; it extended its battery warranty to 10 years; and it improved the fit and finish of the model compared to previous versions. But all of these iterative improvements don’t mean that Coda is out of the woods. Just a few minutes ago, I took my first ever drive in the “batch five” prototype of the car.