Tesla stores threatened by Missouri car dealer lobbying

Tesla stores in Missouri are under threat with the state’s car dealer association pushing for new legislation that could see it to sue the state over Tesla selling its cars directly to consumers.

Last year, Tesla was forced to temporarily close its stores in Missouri after the Missouri Automobile Dealers Association (MADA) tried to have Tesla’s dealer licence revoked, Electrek reports.

In December, a three-judge panel of the Missouri Court of Appeals ruled in favour of Tesla and dismissed the case in a win for the electric automaker’s fight for direct sales.

At the time, MADA president Doug Smith said they were looking at other options.

Now they have convinced Republican senator Dave Schatz to introduce Senate Bill 872, which would give them the standing to file a lawsuit like they did last year.

“That’s really all we’ve asked since 2013 is a legal interpretation as to the merits of the (Department of Revenue) to allow manufacturers to sell direct to consumers,” Smith told the St-Louis Post-Dispatch.

“We believe the appellate court unintentionally created a scenario where the DOR could make arbitrary decisions without any legal oversight — a licensing decision without us or any private citizen the right to question or file litigation against it.”

A Tesla spokeswoman describes the new tactic as “anti-competitive and monopolistic”.

“Despite the Legislature and the courts both rejecting the Missouri Auto Dealers Association’s position in the past, the dealers continue to attack consumer choice by trying to force Tesla from selling its cars direct to residents,” she says.

The company has three sites in Missouri and is reportedly building a fourth store and service centre.

Tesla says it has “more than 1000 customers and more than 2000 Model 3 reservation holders in the state”.