Puff piece.

Focuses on Musk's gently stated opinion that carbon taxes are "a better way" than subsidies for green technology.

Skip it.

But... slam?

Is a loan from the government that was fully repaid the same thing as a subsidy? I thought a subsidy was a grant of free money to services the government felt were important enough to keep afloat when they are unable to do so on their own. A loan is... well... a loan. Am I missing something here?

The subsidies for consumers buying electric cars that Tesla benefits from. Tesla markets it as a discount when talking about their TCO.

OK. Then this article is horribly written. This text is clear as mud. It reads to me like they are calling the loan a subsidy: Shortly after paying off his $465 million loan, Musk proclaimed that government should no longer provide such assistance. A "carbon tax would be a better way," he tweeted, adding: "Yes, am arguing against subsidies and in favor of a tax on the end bad created. Market will then achieve best solution." It isn't until the 3rd page (really? 3 pages?) that they start making their actual point about the subsidized batteries ans what not.