In today's (Feb. 5, 2012) New York Times there is an article on page 29A that has the following statement in it.
"But under a deal reached by automakers, the Obama administration and two senior California Air Resources Board officials, manufacturers that exceed new federal fuel-efficiency standards, even slightly, will be allowed to reduce the number of zero-emission vehicles they sell by up to 50 percent in 2018, a reduction that will drop to 30 percent by 2021.
The new rules also allow carmakers that do not meet their sales goals to purchase credits from other companies that surpass the goals, like Tesla Motors, a Bay Area company that plans to sell only electric vehicles and electric vehicle components. "
This is potentially another source of revenue for Tesla Motors. Note that this new program doesn't become effective until 2018, so how much of an impact this would have on their revenue won't be determined for a long time.
"But under a deal reached by automakers, the Obama administration and two senior California Air Resources Board officials, manufacturers that exceed new federal fuel-efficiency standards, even slightly, will be allowed to reduce the number of zero-emission vehicles they sell by up to 50 percent in 2018, a reduction that will drop to 30 percent by 2021.
The new rules also allow carmakers that do not meet their sales goals to purchase credits from other companies that surpass the goals, like Tesla Motors, a Bay Area company that plans to sell only electric vehicles and electric vehicle components. "
This is potentially another source of revenue for Tesla Motors. Note that this new program doesn't become effective until 2018, so how much of an impact this would have on their revenue won't be determined for a long time.