National Public Radio: Even as America’s troubled automakers seek a handout from Congress, a relatively new car manufacturer that’s tailor-made for the 21st century is trying to get traction. In an upscale showroom in Menlo Park, Calif., a low-slung, sleek, black sports car crouches on the floor. Manager Jeremy Cleland shows off some features of the 2008 Tesla Roadster. “Now, this car here is 100 percent electric, operates off a lithium ion battery pack,” Cleland says. “It has 6,831 commodity cells. …