Over at CNBC's site, correspondent (and columnist) Phil LeBeau writes about the incentives, rebates and tax breaks that are starting to bring down the cost of development for automakers and suppliers, as well as the out-of-pocket cost for buyers of EV (and hybrid and other new-tech) vehicles. And it's not just the names recognized mostly for alternative powertrains, like Tesla or Fisker, that are enjoying the Department of Energy's largesse: Everyone from Ford to smaller parts suppliers can find ways to save if they're investing in eco-friendly directions.

As he points out, some rebates ($42,038 back on a $110,000 Tesla Roadster comes to mind) are laughable, but the norm that consumers can expect in the 36 states that offer incentives -- usually a couple grand -- can really make a difference when it comes to persuading people to take a chance on green tech. And those rebates and tax breaks are here to stay for a while, if not grow. The Obama administration has made clear that green tech is a priority, and with the recent, massive influx of government money into many segments of a domestic auto industry that drove itself to the brink of oblivion, one wonders why the critics rail so harshly against investment in next-generation technology. Technology evolves -- that's the point of it; one wonders how the internal-combustion engine became some sort of untouchable sacred cow to a whole slew of talking heads, industry folk and regular drivers.

Ah, well -- if they don't want to take advantage of the rebates, they don't have to. This is America, after all.