Would Ford or GM exist today without their massive bailout? They’ve received far more than Tesla ever has or ever could, and Tesla paid it all back, early, with interest.

The program was designed to promote innovation and it did. Government has done this plenty of times with success. It often happens with war and space technologies, which make their way to consumer industries as whatever is designed or developed goes private.

This particular government investment just skipped the war or space race usage and went direct to consumers. I don’t see a problem with that.