@Henrik2 "Produced at only 1200 units per month one could argue that this car is irrelevant."

Currently Volt is being produced at 600 a month. Leaf at about 1700 a month (i.e. delivered to US).

If they can really make 1200 a month they will have a substantial impact.

Henrik: I definitely agree with your thoughts on volume. If you look at the raw figure of 1,200 units per month (if they can actually build and deliver that many) it's really irrelevant. If this was a small micro compact EV that was selling at this pace for 25K then nobody would notice.
However look at the exposure and press that the Roadster has garnered. They have only sold a couple thousand of them in three years and everybody knows what it is and most everybody(that I know at least) would want one.
It's proof of concept and something that the Karma can help to further drive home. Plug-in cars can be fast, fun, luxurious, sexy and can go just as far as an ICE vehicle if equipped with a range extender.

Again, you are correct that by making expensive, high end plug-ins that are desirable to the wealthy, you are inevitably going to get them into the garages of well connected people and powerful politicians. Many of these people can influence decisions that can basically decide the fate of EV's, and chances are you won't see them driving an iMiev, a Th!nk of even a LEAF for that matter. Like the rest of us, they are more likely to be a supporter of plug-ins if they have one. I know I wasn't fighting for the proliferation of electric cars until I had one and realized how great it was.

I wish I was a billionaire. I'd take out a two year lease for a Karma or a 300 mile Model S for every US senator and have it delivered to their driveway. 24 months of driving one of these cars and you would see the votes for investing in EV infrastructure start to pile up pretty quickly.

Ex- I'm sure you understand where I was going with the above statement. One thing I and everyone else that has had the opportunity to drive and EV for a while seems to agree on is how addicting it is, and once you have driven one for a while you don't want to go back.
I think there would be no better way to get our policy makers behind EV's than to let them drive them for a while. Sure diverting the money to install the level 3 charge network would do wonders, but having our policy makers overwhelmingly behind EV deployment would be even better because bi-partisan EV support would assure the infrastructure would be in place as well as continuing the rebates and tax credits, something we need until the prices come down a little. Even with a robust charging infrastructure, if the cars are 30% more than a comparable gas car they still have a tough uphill battle.