http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=a6I6cBbmkDW4
Ford gets $5.9 Billion to improve gas mileage.
(Strikes Ford, Nissan, Tesla Motors from short list of purchasable vehicles, pending repayment of loans, and confirmation of viability)
Though if Ford's play pans out it is possible that the sleeping giant of the United States has stirred once again and accidentally rolled over the Middle East. Ford is projecting to be able to save 2.5 Billion Gallons of Gasoline (about 50 Million Barrels) by 2016 if they succeed in improving their fuel efficiency.
That means demand for oil will drop by about 140,000 bbl/day just from Ford's attempts to improve fuel efficiency. Add onto that the other vehicles that are coming onto the market that are more fuel efficient and perhaps the US will be able to achieve self-sufficiency in Oil. Especially if Obama would do something intelligent like letting us drill here.