Anti EV Corruption Can't Stop Tesla
Most states have no problem with Tesla selling EVs online.
But some states have very powerful lobbies that influence state politicians
to pass laws prohibiting Tesla from selling cars online, and from having
showrooms and service centers. New York is one such state.
In 2014, New York banned direct sales, but grandfathered in five Tesla showrooms that were already there. There was proposed legislation in 2018 to allow more stores. The Eastern New York Coalition of Automotive Retailers opposed this, as did the Rochester Automobile Dealers Association. So it didn't pass.
But Tesla thinks outside-the-box, and there are plans to open a new Tesla store east of Syracuse NY by utilizing the "tribal land loophole". Neither the State nor Federal governments can tell Native American communities what to do on their land. If gambling is illegal in that state, there can be casinos on tribal land. So Tesla approached the heads of this NY Native American community and asked if they could put up a 25,000 square foot showroom. The answer was "Yes!"
Michigan had an outright ban on everything Tesla did (lobbying efforts and corruption). No one in Michigan could buy a Tesla there. They had to travel outside of Michigan to buy one, and they had to take delivery of it outside of Michigan. And yet, when I traveled there in 2015, as soon as I got off the highway and drove into a mega store parking lot, there were a dozen Tesla Superchargers there. And there were plenty of other Tesla chargers around the State. Why? Because Michigan residents wanted Teslas, and were not going to be denied this by pin head bought-off bureaucrats. So these folks jumped through all the hoops to be able to get a Tesla.
In 2016 Tesla sued the State of Michigan. In 2020, after a change in the State administration, Michigan settled with Tesla. The agreement allows Tesla to sell and service cars within the state, and Tesla may deliver vehicles within the state, but they must be titled outside of Michigan and transferred to a new title after purchase.
There are about 15 other states where Tesla is battling the corrupt State Assemblies. Eventually enough "We the People" will get involved, and that will override the lobbyists influence (what good is having plenty of money for your re-election campaign if the people are going to vote you out of office).