WASHINGTON — General Motors, in another sign of its progress since a government-led bankruptcy, said today it is withdrawing its application for $14.4 billion in federal loans it had sought to help build more fuel-efficient cars.

GM, which has posted three straight profitable financial quarters since its 2009 bankruptcy, said it no longer needed the loans because the company’s cash position has improved. GM applied for the loans in 2009 to modernize plants to build fuel-efficient vehicles.

The $25 billion low-interest loan program is administered by the Energy Department. It was created by a 2007 law to help car companies retool older factories to build green cars.

Several automakers and auto suppliers have applied for loans from the federal energy program.

Ford was approved for $5.9 billion in loans to upgrade several factories to eventually produce 13 fuel-efficient vehicles. Nissan was approved for a $1.6 billion loan to retool its plant in Smyrna, Tenn., to build electric vehicles and construct a battery manufacturing plant. Tesla Motors received $465 million in loans to build electric vehicles and electric-drive powertrains in California.

Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said last week the company was seeking about $3 billion in loans from the Energy Department.

Marchionne said the loans would be used to develop engines, transmissions, frames and other components.

By The Associated Press