Yes, I think the parent may be confusing the ZEV credits with tax credits. Car manufacturers (in California at least) have to make a certain number of cars with low and zero-emissions. For 2012, I think it's 13%. Tesla makes 100% of their cards as ZEV, so they take 87% of their credits and sell them to other manufacturers who don't sell enough low emissions vehicle, or who sell no ZEV.
The important point is that these credits were created out of thin air, and don't cost the taxpayers anything. And their goal is to do exactly what they are doing... to get a certain amount of ZEVs vehicles out there, and to give manufacturers a financial reason to sell more, since they don't want to be buying those credits from Tesla.
The important point is that these credits were created out of thin air, and don't cost the taxpayers anything. And their goal is to do exactly what they are doing... to get a certain amount of ZEVs vehicles out there, and to give manufacturers a financial reason to sell more, since they don't want to be buying those credits from Tesla.