Texas trying once again to legitimize Tesla sales
Fri, Feb 27 2015
Indeed, five state representatives and one state senator filed bills last week pushing tweaks to state laws that would allow Tesla to skip the traditional third-party dealership distribution model and sell direct. House Bill 1653/Senate Bill 639 would have its limits, saying that any company (say, for example, Tesla) selling direct would be allowed a maximum of 12 stores in Texas. Considering there are about 1,200 franchised car dealerships in the state, that gives a whole new meaning to the term "one percenters," doesn't it?
Supporters of the proposed bill say Tesla represents innovation and a true vision of the free market. Of course, Texas dealership representatives slammed the idea because revenue would go directly to California-based Tesla without making any sort of detour to state coffers.
Tesla spokeswoman Alexis Georgeson confirmed that a bill suggesting the change in state law has been filed with both the Texas House of Representatives and Senate, and that it has been referred to the state's Natural Resources and Community Development Committee, but declined to comment further when reached by AutoblogGreen.
Similar legal and ideological battles are being fought in states like Arizona and Connecticut. Discussions among the latter state's lawmakers gained steam earlier this month, with some proposing that a handful of dealerships should be permitted within the state in order to stop folks from going to New York or Massachusetts to get their new rigs.
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- News Source: Automotive News-sub.req.
- Government/Legal
- Green
- Tesla
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- dealer fight
By Danny King
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