John's right to try to explain why it's crazy to think of a technology company buying Tesla. Ford might be a good candidate to use Tesla technology and styling to re-invigorate Lincoln. One of the most important factors is cultural compatibility. Somehow, Daimler + Chrysler was a disaster. What would be the fit between Tesla and the prospective firms?

60 miles electric driving with 2 hours charging... does this mean the B class will have 9kW Level 2 charging capability? One-upping the 6.6kW Focus or new Leaf?

It would be interesting to understand how much the fact that the US is now a net exporter of refined petroleum products plays into this price increase. We may import crude oil, be we net export refined petroleum products. By exporting refined diesel/gasoline products, US consumer prices become more coupled to global diesel/gasoline prices.. and these prices could be a lot higher than they would be otherwise. We've been hearing about wide "crack spreads" (ie profit margins) for refiners and refiners such as Valero have had their stock price jump over the last few years because they can buy from a variety of domestic/foreign crude sources (and shop for the best prices) and then sell the refined gas/diesel at the best domestic/foreign price.

Using the proper U.S. naming convention for scandals, this should be called "Broder-gate"

I can understand the logic..Fix the worst efficiency vehicles first.. this was the same logic that was applied to the GM 2-Mode SUV/Pickup hybrid technologies. It was an impressive technology for its time in some ways, but it never sold in successful volumes. To achieve a 40 mile range, the 16kWh battery of a Volt would have to be a lot bigger (and hence even more expensive). Escalade customers who pay $70k for a vehicle typically aren't too sensitive to fuel prices and they may not be environmentally sensitive (otherwise would they be buying an Escalade?). Look at the dismal sales numbers for the Lexus LS600h hybrid. Perhaps Maximum Bob's comment was taken out of context. The key was/is to make a compelling vehicle & drive down costs.

This 1 Liter engine also looks to be a good fit for a range extender for an eREV. Maybe 2 versions.. one without a supercharger and a higher output model for a higher performance or larger eREV.

I think it helps clarify to use the different terms eREV and PHEVs, but the EPA/DOE say that eREVs are a type of PHEVs.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/phevtech.shtml
Different Kinds of PHEVs
There are two basic PHEV configurations:
Series PHEVs, also called Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs). Only the electric motor turns the wheels; the gasoline engine is only used to generate electricity. Series PHEVs can run solely on electricity until the battery needs to be recharged. The gasoline engine will then generate the electricity needed to power the electric motor. For shorter trips, these vehicles might use no gasoline at all.
Parallel or Blended PHEVs. Both the engine and electric motor are mechanically connected to the wheels..

I'm glad that GM/OnStar tried to protect all of our Credit Card and other sensitive data. It looks like they came up with a good solution and are spending resources to keep Volt owners happy and their data safe. Anyone who ever has been a victim of Identity theft should have an appreciation for this...

Here are some additional facts to consider:
- The existing J1772 connector (not even Combo) is also rated up to 80A@240V = 19.2kW. Tesla drove this into the J1772 standard, but then didn't leverage it.
- Perhaps, the unique Tesla supercharger network is a brilliant strategy in another way. Tesla has J1772 adapters to their connector so they can use any public J1772 EVSE ..plus with their with unique connector, no one else besides Tesla drivers can use the Tesla Supercharger network. Tesla owners will not have to fight with any other PEV drivers for time slots on the Supercharger network but yet they can use everyone elses charging charging station.

As the battery energy density,cabin HVAC and other efficiencies improves, perhaps they can create a midsized LaCrosse eREV with 35-40 mile AER. Incorporate wireless charging, and GM an create a vehicle that hits the sweet spot for popularity in size and also has the compelling ability to allow a driver to avoid the hassle of weekly visits to the gas station (while retaining the ability to take long trips and avoid range anxiety).