The Article is Bailout FUD (Score 1)

The $25 billion from this program is supposed to be used to get real technology on the roads. Companies can use the grants and loans to "re-equip, expand, and establish manufacturing facilities in the U.S. to produce light-duty vehicles and components that make meaningful improvements in fuel economy performance."

My understanding is that Tesla applied for somewhere around $400 million to help finance their Model S sedan: all-electric, 200+ miles per charge, $60k base price (I assume a real price closer to $70-75k). Each new generation lowers the cost of electric cars and Tesla would be building up the valuable knowlege needed for a true consumer car while at the same time expanding it's manufacturing capabilities. In short, if Tesla gets the Model S on the road, it will have gone much further than any other car company in getting electric cars on the road in the US.

This is investment money and was designed as such. The real danger in my mind would be if Congress decided to take these funds and turn it into a Big 3 bailout. That would significantly set back the plans to get new generations of energy-efficient cars on the road.