It is easy to see what VW does. They are making a modular platform for nearly all of its vehicle types so that each of these vehicle types can be build on the same assembly line with either gasoline engine, diesel, bi-fuel natural gas/gasoline, PHEV drive-train or short-range BEV. That is fine as VW can bring down the costs using the same platform and the battery cells that are used for the short range BEVs and PHEVs across all platforms might be identical, (with high power and long cycle life) in order to achieve volume and cost reduction there as well.

What is missing in VWs strategy is three long-range BEV platforms for small, midsize and large vehicle types all using the same battery cell (with high volumetric energy density and short cycle life (read a Panasonic 18650 cell)). That is of cause Tesla's skateboard platform solution where the engine, transmission and cooling/heat pump system resides in the floor between the two pair of wheels and the battery pack is a large flat rectangle spanning the entire floor between the four wheels. This design is unsuited for PHEVs, gasser etc. but it is perfect for a long-range BEVs because it makes a car with more luggage space than any gasser, etc can achieve. It also makes a car with a lower gravity point than any gasser car can achieve. Finally, electric vehicles can exploit that high power electric engines are inexpensive to produce. In mass production a 225kW electric motor/transmission/cooling system will cost less than a 80kW system for a gasser. Moreover, unlike the engines in vehicle gassers electric engine are more efficient the more power they have. You can even do four wheel drive in a BEV that are just as efficient as a two wheel drive BEV. This is impossible for gassers.

The future of the automobile is therefore long-range battery electric because it produces the ultimate car that has better luggage space, better handling, more power, less noise and vibration than possible for any gasser or PHEV. BEVs can also be charged at home at one third of the cost of a gasser per mile driven. However, this future of the automobile is being delayed by traditional car makes because they focus on developing traditional platforms for gassers and PHEVs and because of their spending on fruitless fuel cell vehicle research. The sooner more car makers start making the long-range BEVs that Tesla does the sooner we will get the price down for the type of battery cells that are needed for that long-range battery electric platform, namely, battery cells that excel in volumetric energy density.

Tesla will support free charging at the supercharging stations forever because it is not that costly as long as Tesla does not build these chargers closer than 150 miles apart which is within the range of all of the vehicles they will ever sell.

The average Tesla owner will probably only use the supercharger 100 times during the 16 years of the life of the vehicle. The rest is home charging or flying. These 100 times will cost Tesla 60kwh*100*0.1 USD or 600 USD. Also with 150 miles apart Tesla only need about 250 stations in North America, 120 stations in Europe and 250 stations in Asia to cover it all. That is 620 stations costing 0.3 million USD a peace or about 200 million USD. Split that on 100k Model S and you get 2000 USD per vehicle. So you see this is very doable.

Even people living close to a supercharger station will not drive there to use it in order to spend 30 minutes to get 6 USD worth of free electricity as that does not make sense even on a minimum wage which Tesla owners are not subject to. You only use it if it is absolutely necessary to do what you have to do. The supercharger network has real practical value but its marketing value is more important because it sounds truly incredibly good with free long distance driving for life. No such offer will ever be possible for gassers and the phantom fuel cell vehicles.

You beat me to it, Henrik. That is the formula, except that the supercharge sessions are actually only 30-40kWh on average. (data from Tesla Supercharger dashboard in Hawthorne). Tesla is way ahead on the net income for "free" Supercharging.

Although you're right that most people living close to a supercharger station will not drive there to use it, believe it or not, there is a small but persistent pool of people who do. I don't think this is so much to save the $6, it's more a matter of convenience that a fast charge to full range represents.

Tesla has already recognized the need for fast charge public infrastructure in metro areas, and we'll see some solutions later this year.

@Henrik ..hope you're right about Tesla's commercial approach and about copy cats so that we get more and more mass produced extended range BEVs soon.

Eventually, something will have to be done to replace Fed and States fuel taxes. A distance travelled fee multiplied by vehicle weight or an equivalent e-energy tax would do. The latter may be easier to collect in most cases except for people equipped with their own solar panels where a minimum average fee would apply? The first method could be automated and appropriate charges could be added to your credit card daily, weekly or on regular basis? People driving vehicles with unpaid road usage fees could loose their vehicle.