back to article Tesla cashes multi-million dollar govt cheque

Tesla Motors has secured itself a whopping funding package from the US government which the company plans to use to further its standing in the e-car business. Under the terms of the deal, the Californian firm will receive $465m (£285m/€333m) of US federal wonga. The grant will be in the form of low interest loans from the …

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  1. Martin Lyne

    At least the Nissan

    At least the Nissan ones might end up giving something back to typical Americans.

    How many people will ever own a Tesla? Will the thrid party parts being amde in teh new plant be for other exclusive EVs?

    Perhaps it'll help lower the cost of their future vehicles? That would be a nice turn of events.

    Got nothin' agaisnt Tesla, just think that they should have a bog-standard version.

  2. CC

    And the delivery dates keep slipping!

    They now have the money and immediately announce the delivery dates from 2010 to 2011 now late 2011 or 2012 earliest.

    And the US government loans Nissan 1.6 billion to retool for US built Nissan electrics?

    Must be amazing to be able to write a check to someone and not have to be accountable..

  3. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Thumb Up

    But GM & Chrysler missed out.

    Pity.

    Pity.

  4. James Woods

    Welcome to socialism

    Why are these companies that make products that people can't afford taking the money from those that can't afford their products? Why not give this money to a company like Ford that produces a product that people can afford.

    The last I checked Tesla cars were at least 80K with a waiting list to get one. What in the world is taxpayer (not government, our government doesn't produce anything) money going to this company for?

    When is all of this going to end, unemployment rates in the U.S.A are aligned with those of the great depression and we're giving our money to car companies that make automobiles while people are losing their homes everyday and living in their Datsuns?

    That really makes sense.

  5. k d

    @ML

    There is no bog standard version yet because batteries are still too expensive. You could make a low quality, simple electric car, but the batteries would make it so expensive no one would remotely contemplate buying it. However, top end electric cars are price:performance competitive with top end petrol cars.

    There is currently massive research efforts into cheaper and better batteries, and these successes will slowly lead to electric cars aimed at the lower end of the market.

    SImilarly, as volumes increase, economies of scale will reduce costs of all the electric components.

    This is money well spent (or no worse than any of the other rescue packages) on R&D for electic cars in general.

    In other words, the Tesla S *is* the bog standard version.

  6. Adam White

    RE: At least the Nissan

    The Roadster isn't the be-all-and-end-all of Tesla's product line, it's just their first offering. In many ways it's a PR stunt designed to generate interest in electric cars and the Tesla brand, and dispel the myth that electric cars are slow poor performers.

    Their next product will be the "family sedan" Model S which is at the low end of totally unaffordable but who's to say Nissan's first production electric car will be any cheaper? Besides the S could be the next big fashion accessory, the automotive equivalent of the iPhone.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Read before commenting....

    "Ford’s also set to receive $5.9bn (£3.6bn/€4.2bn)"

  8. Matthew 4
    Unhappy

    oh yay

    ...more lithium price increases then if they start making a decent number..

  9. Chris O'Shea
    Thumb Up

    So is it a grant or a loan?

    The article (and the writer) can't seem to make up their minds ...

    ... if it's "In the form of low interest loans" then the money has to be repaid, so (providing adequate financial provisions are in place) it doesn't cost the US taxpayer *anything* as the money will be coming back *and* it provides US jobs, thus bringing in more tax money ...

    ... and the point of this money is to develop the technology and bring down the prices of "bog standard" cars to the point where we can afford to buy one.

    Tesla's first cars were mightily expensive, but according to the current court case, they still cost something like 50% more in parts to build than their sticker price (something like $150k per vehicle against a $80-$90k OTR)

    And obviously someone needs to standardise recharging sockets, battery packs etc. so doing the design, getting the agreements etc. is going to take time and cost money ... so it's good that there's money being advanced to let Ford, Nissan etc. spend the money on the new technology. And Tesla are producing and selling electric cars, which is more than you can say for many car companies, so providing them with low interest loans to enable them to expand sounds like a great idea to me.

  10. CC
    Thumb Up

    Tesla didn't want enough to start with.

    Tesla last year applied for a loan which the government said wasn't enough, so they doubled the number, re-applied and now the government says OK.

    Tesla now working with Daimlier Mercedes has a good future and some real car people running it.

    The money will be primarily used to get the S into production likely in Southern California.

    The $49,000.00 dollar price tag looks to be very average when you start looking at true electrics.

    Nissan will supposedly have their electric available in 2010 which for the first two years the car will come from Japan then after that will be built in the US.

    Ford has at least been trying on their own and making good progress in doing things right which will pay off big time as they have a building support with the American Public as the one American auto maker that stood on its own two feet without its hand out.

    I guess in the big scheme, the money being "loaned" is chicken feed and will get the US headed in the right direction.

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