Right on the heels of news that Tesla Motors customers have begun driving test vehicles comes word that the company hired a new top-level engineer. Autopia reports that Mike Donoughe, a 24-year Chrysler veteran, will spearhead development of the four-door electric sedan Tesla says will be rolling off an assembly line by the end of 2010. Previously, Donoguhe worked on Chrysler's best-selling minivans and also spent two years leading passenger-car development at Mercedes-Benz.

Analysts are impressed with the move. "He's got intimate knowledge of vehicle design, planning and manufacturing" said Aaron Bragman, an industry analyst with Global Insight, in the article. "He has tremendous contacts among suppliers and others in the industry. They're likely to end up with a better product than they would have otherwise."