steamrolled.

The only real reason everyone thinks Tesla is awesome right now is they don't have any legitimate competition. The electric cars put out by the big automakers have been little more than experimental options.

If Tesla isn't mass producing and already owning significant market share by the time the likes of GM and Toyota throw their full weight into the ring, Tesla will either be squashed like a bug or they will have to retreat and stick to being a niche, low-volume, luxury car maker.

All the big car companies have been dabbling with alternative fuels and eco-friendly options for awhile. But none are willing to truly commit because it has been hard to predict what technology will win in the end (fuel cells, biodiesel, all-electric, or something else). It seems like battery technology is progressing faster than the other options, which is making all-electric look like it might be the winner. Once the big boys know which technology to go with, they will be able to develop and mass-produce at a dizzying rate.

Tesla has a rapidly narrowing window to get their act together.