Hi Mark,

Yes, that was sort of my thinking process too but other than cutting out the middle man/men in their distribution system,

http://www.teslamotors.com/about/press/releases/tesla-motors-wins-lawsuit-against-auto-dealers-massachusetts

and I guess, with their free charging stations across the country, cutting out the Oil companies, have Tesla exhibited any other tendency to cut out the middle man in their assembly plans? If they need steel it's cheaper to buy it from a mill, plastics, the same.

What else, other than electronics and rubber, do they need? Cobalt, Lithium? Nobody is suggesting they are going to buy a Cobalt or Lithium mine, are they? That's why I agree with your statement, it's either a Panasonic or some company in that food chain which is in the running.

Boxterfan