NY auto dealers try to bar Tesla from state with legislation

[wtmusic]

"Following his big battery swap reveal in California Thursday night, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is turning his eye to New York. That's where a new tactic by the local auto dealers could put a damper on Tesla's electric-vehicle success story.

"Just heard that NY auto dealers are sneaking through a bill to shut down Tesla in NY" - Elon Musk

Specifically, Green Car Reports says, there are two nearly identical bills being stealthily moved through the New York state legislature (Assembly bill A07844 and State bill S05725) that would prohibit the state from registering any vehicles that had not been sold through an independent third party (i.e., a dealer). The move prompted Musk to Tweet, "Just heard that NY auto dealers are sneaking through a bill to shut down Tesla in NY. Please call your state senator!" He later sent out, "NY Assembly passing bill to shut down Tesla, but Senate holding the line. Appreciate senators resisting influence of auto dealer lobby."

It's the latest round in a fight that started when the state dealers filed a suit against Tesla's dealer-free sales method in late 2012. The New York Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that the dealers could not use the Franchised Dealer Act as a reason to sue competitors. The New York State Automobile Dealers Association has a letter (PDF) claiming the support of out-of-state groups like the Alliance of Automotive Manufacturers and the Global Alliance of Manufacturers. Tesla currently has two stores in New York, in Queens and White Plains, and one more planned (in Long Island)."

http://green.autoblog.com/2013/06/22/ny-dealers-try-to-make-it-illegal-to-register-a-tesla/

To contact your NY assemblyperson: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?sh=search

[d_r]

1. They do this to Tesla in Texas

http://www.teslamotors.com/advocacy_texas

[Archaic]

2. Why build a better product when you can sue to kill one?

Big money sticking its finger in our eye again.

Probably a lot of oil money driving these lawsuits and all this new legislation.

- Auto dealers can adapt.
- Auto manufacturers can adapt (see the Volt).

But oil can't. They have one main market, and a stranglehold on it. Oil will be used for plastics and fertilizers for years to come, but more cars mean more oil demand. Electric cars reduce it.

I'm 8000 miles in now on my Volt, and am in for less 30 gallons in that time. If I was getting 40 mpg, I'd be in for 200 gallons in that same period. By the time I hit one year in the Volt, I will have saved $1000 on gas. That's not bad.

(And for any lurking lobbyists or shills, I'm wind powered, so no coal emissions)

Go Tesla!