Empire Strikes Back: Mississippi Senate passes bill restricting electric car dealerships

[interestedinEV]

https://www.wjtv.com/news/politics/...es-bill-restricting-electric-car-dealerships/

The argument is that all car sellers should play by the same rules, rather than asking if the rules are any more relevant.


A bill that would restrict the sale of electric vehicles (EV) in Mississippi is on its way to Gov. Tate Reeves’ (R-Miss.) desk.

House Bill 401 passed through the Senate on Thursday. Some lawmakers said the bill could hurt Mississippi’s economy.


If signed into law, EV manufacturers would have to sell their vehicles through a franchise dealership, rather than their manufacturer-owned dealer.

 

[bwilson4web]

Like me, the buyer will go out-of-state or a Native American, Tesla service center will open up.

Bob Wilson

 

[insightman]

https://www.wjtv.com/news/politics/...es-bill-restricting-electric-car-dealerships/

The argument is that all car sellers should play by the same rules, rather than asking if the rules are any more relevant.

A bill that would restrict the sale of electric vehicles (EV) in Mississippi is on its way to Gov. Tate Reeves’ (R-Miss.) desk.

House Bill 401 passed through the Senate on Thursday. Some lawmakers said the bill could hurt Mississippi’s economy.

If signed into law, EV manufacturers would have to sell their vehicles through a franchise dealership, rather than their manufacturer-owned dealer.

Is this a restriction on electric-car dealerships or is it a restriction on manufacturer-owned dealerships, which just happen to be Tesla dealerships these days?

Michigan has had a restriction on manufacturer-owned "dealerships" for many years. Tesla customers here have to get their cars from another state.

However, there's a brand new Tesla Service Center just a couple of miles down the road from me. It's big and fancy and will obviously become a Tesla dealership as soon as Elon figures out a way to beat the powerful lobbying organization called the Michigan Auto Dealers Association ("a statewide non-profit trade association that represents the unique interests of the more than 650 franchised new-vehicle dealerships in the state").

 

[interestedinEV]

s this a restriction on electric-car dealerships or is it a restriction on manufacturer-owned dealerships, which just happen to be Tesla dealerships these days?

I looked at the bill and you are right, it does not say EV's anywhere, but restricts manufacturer owned dealerships. So you can buy Chevy Bolt from a Chevy dealer or a Ford Lightning, but you cannot have a Tesla factory showroom. So it is directed against all those new car manufacturers, who happen to EV manufacturers like Tesla, Rivian or Frisker etc who sell direct to customer without a middleman So you could have a Tesla showroom in an Indian Reservation or buy it from California online or go to another state to get around it.

Yes, clearly the dealers association has got this passed, they have clout