GM, Ford, and Chrysler receive billions in subsidies. During the 2008 Auto crisis the US gave those three $70 billion to keep them afloat. The US subsidizes its car companies. It also spends tens of billions subsidizing Boeing, Intel, Lockheed-Martin, IBM, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, and various airlines. Telsa, like many other companies, also receives subsidies. So what? There's nothing special going on here.

With all due respect, and I mean that seriously, I think that your focus on government subsidies is causing you to be overly negative on this feature. I was using Singapore/Indonesia/China as examples of places that I was either directly familiar with, or had recently read about. If it's really important to you, then you can replace those countries with "Heavily Smog impacted regions of the United States, Roads experiencing forest fires (very common), or an driving situation in which particulate matter is problematic for which the driver would like to reduce somewhat"

It's a great function for the home, and I think most drivers would be well served - and in the case of drivers with Asthma, or other ailments impacted by particulate pollution) critically served.

And they aren't. US government does not pay a dime for the marginal production of Tesla cars.

Affordable electric cars are the end goal. The government is making an investment to get a beneficial market started. In the long run, this investment will likely have done considerably more good than if that money had been spent to increase direct aid to the poor.

I assume that the cost of the parts are insignificant compared to the cost of R&D and manufacturing labour costs, which AFAIK are all on US soil. Even if a car is sold to a Chinese customer, the money they pay and the money the gov pays is creating more jobs that it would have otherwise (and also lining Musk's back pocket).

> Poorest of poor in America is subsidizing these rich people gadgets at around $8k per unit.

Okay, I'll bite - where's your evidence?

I thought it was just a tax credit? That's very different than "American government is paying". It's more like, "American government admits that taxpayer has put money to a better purpose than American government would have."

I am having a hard time understanding your reference to China.

Yes, China is "into" electric personal transportation.

http://qz.com/137518/consumers-the-world-over-love-electric-...

Yes, China has 200 million electric bicycles. At that adoption rate, I would have expected 50 million electric vehicles on the road in the US.

But, the USA appears to be in love with the car. China has 128 cars/1000, USA has 809 cars/1000.

For a great many people, the electric bike would be a great transportation option -- cheap and clean. However, there is no way to compete with China in manufacturing these.

The only hope the USA has is Tesla.

For this reason, I would expect subsidies! USA manufacturing, possible exports, and a cleaner environment.

I personally use an electric bike, for which I received no government rebate... but, I don't have to pay for gasoline, or insurance, so I come out ahead anyway.

What if I don't believe a biological war is likely? Or, what if I would rather just "get it over with" in the event of a biological war?

Can I pay less for a Tesla which _lacks_ this level of filtration?