Is "considerably less than 10 seconds" that bad of a sign? I took that to mean in the neighborhood of 7 seconds, which is just fine for most usage. Probably depends on factors like temperature and charge level, which is a new problem for car makers trying to describe the performance of a vehicle.

I think you're underestimating the utility some people attach to owning a pure electric vehicle (and without research, I would guess wealthier than average people). So they don't have to reach parity with or exceed ICE powered vehicles to succeed.

[EDIT] - I think this doesn't see the forest for the trees. Regardless of the model B's quality, Tesla's battery pack and powertrain are becoming a platform for other car makers - definitely a positive for the company's development.

[EDIT2] - Noting your interest in cars, I freely concede that I don't see this as a car lovers' car. But that doesn't stop there from being plenty of minivans on the road.