Tesla who?

[vfx]

U.S. backs $30 million to build plug-in hybrids | Green Tech - CNET News.com

I liked reading the comments.

 

[malcolm]

It's not in the auto-giants' own interests to draw attention to the fact that technology from a small US start-up eclipses their own efforts. Looking at the engineering achievement of the Roadster, some legislator might go ahead and set required targets uncomfortably high.

 

[Chris H.]

It's not in the auto-giants' own interests to draw attention to the fact that technology from a small US start-up eclipses their own efforts. Looking at the engineering achievement of the Roadster, some legislator might go ahead and set required targets uncomfortably high.

Good point Malcolm, it may also reduce the subsidies and research grants to the big three as a result of politicians recognizing that they have not been getting very good return on investment for monies granted in the past.

All the best,

Chris H.

 

[Manntis]

Good point Malcolm, it may also reduce the subsidies and research grants to the big three as a result of politicians recognizing that they have not been getting very good return on investment for monies granted in the past.

All the best,

Chris H.

They're not so much concerned about getting ROI as getting the hundreds of thousands of auto workers to vote for them rather than against them. The Chrysler bailout in the early 80s wasn't an investment, but an attempt to keep all those workers from suddenly becoming unemployed at once prior to an election.