Different yes, but all are government incentive programs established to help develop new technology and make that new technology more affordable for the masses. If the EV incentive program wasn't in place to encourage the development and purchasing Electric Vehicles there would be no Tesla Motors and the 1000's of jobs they provide.
I'll respect your view, but not sure why you oppose incentives for some individuals willing to be the early adopters that go hand in hand with the many corporate incentive programs that support and encourage businesses like Elio Motors to set up shop in Louisiana and/or Tesla Motors. Again, they can use my tax dollars, and yours on something you support. This is a Model 3 vs Elio thread, for me it's not one vs the other because I support both and whatever it takes to make them successful. Both ATVMs, both high mpg/mpge, different vehicles classes, one old tech one new high tech, different demographics, both requiring some form of government incentive to be successful.
I actually prefer to see incentive $ go back to an individual taxpayer and you don't. I continue to wait stashing some cash away to someday buy both vehicles. The EV incentive program will no doubt end by the time I receive delivery on my Model 3, which should make you very happy indeed.
Let's start from the top........
BPVs (Battery Powered Vehicles) are not particularly new as far as technology.
Henry Ford's wife drove a Baker Electric. Lead Acid rather than Lithium, but batterys.
Different controller, does the same job. Some refinements, but the same basic technology.
The same can be said of Elio. Same basic ICE with some refinements.
At which point, they are all creating jobs.
Mr. Musk stated that a lot of the early 3s would be loaded and cost around $55 - $60K. Sounds like a subsidy to the rich. ....."As of 2012, the median household income was $50,054, according to the Census Bureau report issued for that year."..... (--->
http://work.chron.com/average-yearly-income-middle-class-family-16547.html <---)
Sounds like there needs to be a push where it will provide cost effective mobility to more people below the median income level rather than a perk for those at higher levels.
As far as when the BPV incentive ends, No, it doesn't make me happy that someone who probably needs the incentive, like you, will not get it while the status conscious early adopters, who have more money than brains, will get the full break so they can treat their BPV as an environmental status symbol.