'Tesla, labeled a “loser” by Romney, giving Obama green-energy strategy its biggest win: paying off

[Cha]

loan 9 yrs early' !!

***snip

Tesla Motors Inc. (TSLA), labeled a “loser” by Mitt Romney during the U.S. election, is giving President Barack Obama’s green-energy strategy its biggest win after almost two years of failures pounced upon by Republicans.

The maker of the electric Model S car as early as today will become the first recipient of a U.S. Energy Department vehicle loan to pay off its debt. The Palo Alto, California-based company will do so nine years ahead of schedule, with taxpayers making at least $12 million on the $465 million lent.

Tesla’s payoff may quell critics who said Obama shouldn’t have acted like a venture capitalist in picking green-energy companies to receive government loans and grants. Republican lawmakers have held up the bad bets made on plug-in carmaker Fisker Automotive Inc., its battery supplier A123 Systems Inc. (AONEQ) and solar-panel maker Solyndra LLC as examples of rewarding untested companies for political reasons.

snip***

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-05-22/tesla-repaying-romney-s-loan-for-losers-gives-obama-green-win

h/t http://theobamadiary.com/2013/05/22/a-night-at-the-white-house-fit-for-a-king/#comments

republicon whiners

[DFW]

1. If a loser like Romney labels it a loser

Then it's probably a winner.

[Mopar151]

2. A sound, well run company has nothing for Rommney

No opprutunity to bilk stockholders, no discontent in the boardroom to exploit.....

[Celldweller]

3. I'm not the biggest fan

Let's make ONE thing clear.

The Tesla is a TOY for the ONE PERCENT.

At $62,500 (after 7500 taxpayer subsidy) it's an expensive car. If you calculate the environmental impact to build the factory, the tooling, the raw material, etc... it will take a long time for the Tesla fleet to be "in the black" from an environmental perspective.

Now let me throw in my own (quite proud) 2 cents.

Last year I bought a proper green car.

I shopped the Volt, too much $ and the styling and my 30k/year driving needs kinda made it a poor choice.

I bought a Prius C.

I paid 19.5k

I get 48.6mpg when driving like a moron and 56mpg when I try lol.

It's a Prius so it's completely mature technology and it's cute looking and practical.

There is no alternative to a Prius out there. Ford is trying hard and will catch up soon as the CMAX is decent (but ugly).