Could Pro-Tesla Law In Georgia Lead To Additional Tesla Dealerships?

A bill allowing Tesla to sell their vehicles directly-to-consumers without previous regulations has passed the senate in Georgia. The Georgia Automobile Dealers Association sent a petition against Tesla to the state department of revenue. They alleged that Tesla sold more than their allotted amount of electric cars. They accused Tesla of selling some 173 vehicles, which was above the 150 that they felt that they were allowed to sell given their license at the time.

Tesla responded with a statement, which read in part, “the petition filed by the Georgia automobile dealers association is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to stifle new innovation and eliminate consumer choice by trying to establish a monopoly that restricts the way consumers can buy new vehicles.” The dealers in this scenario were trying as they said to get Tesla to play by the same rules as everyone else, to obey the same laws. In a statement Derrick Dickey, the spokesman for the Tesla dealers group said, “There’s real demand for electric cars in Georgia. All we’re asking is that Tesla sell cars in compliance with the law.”

Fast forward to 2015 and Tesla is one signature away from having no concerns with sales limits. The bill passed the Georgia senate 48-4. It would allow Tesla to expand their number of stores from three to five and remove the cap on their sales that was reportedly set at 150. This latest bill apparently came out of a compromise between Tesla and the Georgia state dealers association.

No details of that negotiation were available, however it could represent an important step. While dealer groups nationwide have sparred with Tesla on legal grounds, this group in Georgia appears ready to make a compromise. That could be a very good thing when and if Tesla decides to implement a dealership/ gallery store hybrid sales program. A dealer and lawmaker in Georgia, Democratic State Senator Emanuel jones, spoke to the Atlanta Journal Constitution about the new law and said, “We now have the opportunity to lay everything aside … And agree this is how we’re going to do business in the state of Georgia without fighting through the courts.”

What do you think of this new law? Does this represent a win or Tesla or could it be a win for both parties? Is the best direction for dealers against Tesla a legal battle or perhaps, could it be a compromise that will lead to Tesla motors dealerships in the future?