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NY Gov. Cuomo in favor of revived anti-Tesla store legislation

When we last left the New York auto dealers and their fight against Tesla Motors, there scene was an uneasy ceasefire. The New York State Assembly and its backers from the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association said last summer that they would allow the three currently operating Tesla stores to continue operating but would pick up the issue again when the legislature reconvened in early 2014. Well, guess what? That time has come a new bill is being promoted that tries once again to stop the California automaker from selling its electric vehicles in its non-traditional way. The dealers say the bill doesn't target EV companies unfairly. Capital New York says representatives of the state's dealers have met with Governor Andrew Cuomo about the new bill and he apparently said he would sign it if it reaches his desk. The dealers say the bill doesn't target EV companies unfairly and just asks them to play by the same rules as everyone else, which means selling cars through traditional dealerships. Tesla says that traditional dealerships don't work for EVs and currently sells its Model S out of small stores in places like shopping malls. Actor Mark Ruffalo (best known as the Hulk in the recent Avengers movie) tweeted his support, saying that EVs are good for New York and that what the bill is trying to do is akin to stopping Apple from selling its products directly to customers. He also asked his many, many Twitter followers to call and oppose the bills. Tesla is fighting against similar laws and proposals in many other states, including Texas and Ohio. We have asked Tesla for a comment on the new New York legislation and will update this post if we hear back.

Tesla takes New York Times to task for damning Model S review

The social media tête-à-tête between the New York Times and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, stemming from a defamatory review by John Broder of the Model S and Tesla's new "Supercharger" network on the East Coast, is heating up in a major way. Just yesterday we summarized the Twitter spat, and now Musk has expanded upon the data recorded during Broder's test drive - adding major credence to the criticism of the NYT writer.
The smoking gun in this case is the information that was captured by the data recorder in Broder's loaned Model S. The data recording function is one that is only activated for consumers when permission has been expressly granted, says Musk, but is always turned on in the case of media vehicles. Thusly equipped, Broder's vehicle was keeping track of speed, charging data, map data and more, presumably without the writer's foreknowledge.
The evidence recorded by the in-car systems happens to contravene Broder's most damning claims of the Tesla, says Musk in his article titled A Most Peculiar Test Drive. First, and perhaps most shockingly, the Model S "State of Charge" log shows that Broder's test car "never ran out of energy at any time." Broder's reporting indicated that the car ran completely out of juice at one point and had to be evacuated on a flatbed truck. The data log also points out that the trip was made at speeds ranging from 65 to 81 miles per hour, where the writer claimed to have set the cruise control at 54 mph, with periods of driving as slowly as 45 mph.

Tesla does Dallas

Despite not being allowed to actually sell cars on site - or even offer a test drive - Tesla has opened its newest venue in Texas. As of Friday, NorthPark Center mall in Dallas is home to the newest Tesla Gallery. Don't call it a Store! Employees at the gallery can't even discuss pricing. The 2,200-square-foot gallery lets interested parties learn more about the California-based electric car company, and even sit behind the wheel of a Tesla Model S. Texas law prohibits manufacturers to sell directly to the customer, though which is the business model for Tesla. Employees at the gallery can't even discuss pricing. They can, however, explain the technology, and direct potential customers to their website where they can make a reservation at home. Let's call it a hands-on advertisement. "Our galleries create strong awareness for our product," Tesla Spokesperson Alexis Georgeson told Automotive News. "[They] are our advertising." Other Tesla owners in Texas, of which there are nearly 2,000, help pick up the slack, too, some even offering test drives to strangers, she said. Since Texas law restricts selling cars without a franchised dealership, taking delivery of a Model S is a bit of a process. After purchasing online or by phone, the car is delivered from out of state by a third party. The vehicle is registered out-of-state as well, and customers must then register the car in Texas after taking ownership. When they do that, they must also pay the entirety of the Texas sales tax on the vehicle, as well as the price of the aspirin required for the accompanying headache. Without franchised dealerships, repair options are also limited for Tesla owners in Texas. Tesla does have local subsidiaries that do repair work, but customers must first call Tesla Motors in California, who will decide what repair work is necessary before being sending the customer to the service center. Even then, employees aren't allowed to discuss additional repair needs with customers, or even advertise that they do warranty work. Currently, Tesla has three of these subcontracted service centers in Texas, in Austin, Houston and Dallas, with a San Antonio location on the way. Last year, a bill was introduced to exempt Tesla from Texas's law banning factory-owned dealerships, but it didn't get to the House floor before the end of session. According to Georgeson, Tesla will try again to overturn the law when legislators reconvene next year.