According to GreenCarReports, the company issued an e-mail after close of business last Friday saying its Escrow credit card processing system was unable to handle deposits that had been taken more than six months previously, causing administrative problems.

The three-wheeled vehicle was designed to offer the dual benefit of an electric drivetrain with a lightweight body. A full electric version, called the 2e, was claimed to offer a range of 100 miles from a full charge, while the forthcoming hybrid version, the 2h, was due to follow.

Some 4,000 customers had placed deposits by the middle of 2009, with production predicted for the end of that year ahead of a 2010 delivery. Earlier this year, it stopped taking deposits and pulled the page from its website.

The customers receiving a refund will be placed onto a VIP list giving them first refusal on the cars when they go on sale, the manufacturer said.