Anti-Tesla Legislation in NC - H455, S384, and S385

[Zarwin]

TriangleTesla.org/Legislative <- for most up-to-date info

Anti-Tesla bills would amend current law to halt Tesla's growth and could impact their current abilities to do business in The Great State of North Carolina
The basic strategy of the North Carolina Automobile Dealers Association (NCADA) is to have amendments added that give them more power to block Tesla's ability to do business. The basics of the amendments are:

Require a 15 day public notice of license applications
This is to allow time to initiate action against Tesla when an application is filed.

Give NCADA broader powers to initiate action against Tesla and block license applications or renewals
The current law states that NCADA may initiate action (after mediation) against the manufacturer for a franchised dealership that was harmed by that manufacturer's conduct in the past. The amendments include changing the law to give NCADA standing to initiate action without mediation against any manufacturer (Tesla) for any conduct that would harm or would affect automotive dealerships in NC in the future.

With the new language, Tesla's conduct of simply existing could be argued as something that "would affect" automotive dealerships in NC and allow NCADA to initiate action against them.

The three bills that contain the set of amendments giving NCADA the additional power are:

H455 Clarify Motor Vehicle Dealer Laws
S384 Clarify Motor Vehicle Dealer Laws
S385 Clarify/Auto Dealers Regulatory Req

If you live in NC and wish to help, you may contact your NC Senate and NC House representative. Please reference the appropriate bills when contacting. NC House bill H445 and NC Senate bills S384 and S385.

Critical part of H455 and S384

 

[Rockster]

Geeze. They’re as bad as Texas automobile dealers.

 

[Skateboardgolf]

Hey @Zarwin - thanks for posting!
Here's a letter I've sent to my NC Senator and representative.
Anyone else I should send this to?

Subject: Please support Tesla - H455, S384, S385 will hurt NC

Good afternoon NC State Senator,

Remember how hard we tried to get Amazon to open an office here in NC?
Isn't it funny that on the other hand, the NC General Assembly is making it truly difficult for Tesla, a hot Silicon Valley company, to operate existing stores here in NC?

My wife and I have purchased 3 Teslas over the past 4 years, and have been extremely happy with the company - they've treated us like royalty, not to mention their cars are the most satisfying we've ever owned. Unless something radical happens, we will never purchase another gas-powered vehicle again. Many of our friends and neighbors also own Teslas, and want to see this company succeed in NC. Tesla builds cars with zero emissions, which is good for our environment and our planet. If you see climate change as a serious problem, then why do you oppose Tesla and its cars in NC?

NC car dealers are sweating bullets - they are very much aware of how much Tesla owners love their vehicles, and know that their days of selling gas-powered vehicles that require a lot of expensive service visits are numbered. (As you might already know, service is one of car dealers' biggest revenue sources)

I know that currently, Tesla has trouble operating in NC because of several NC laws - for instance, they have stores in Charlotte and Raleigh, but due to NC franchise law limitations, they can only do the paperwork and offer test drives at one location, not both. If the NC General Assembly tried to limit the number of Apple Stores in NC, or tried to make NC residents drive 200 miles for an iPhone, we would get laughed off the map - business would pick up and leave NC. Revenue and taxes would leave NC.

So why is the NC General Assembly doing this to Tesla? Why limit competition? Tesla and the direct-to-customer business model is the future. Companies like Tesla that sell directly to the customer have our best interests at heart, and they've always treated us fairly.

Please vote against these laws - and please eliminate the existing laws hat make it difficult for job-creating companies like Tesla to do business in NC.

Thank you.

 

[Zarwin]

@Skateboardgolf we are mainly trying to get awareness into the legislature as it appears the underlying intent was not known to many and even (possibly) slipped by at least one of the bill sponsors. When there is more news regarding these bills, such as committee meetings scheduled on them, I'll post updates to the web page and here.

One note is that the Charlotte location did get a license and can do test drives and process paperwork now. This happened a few months ago and could very well have been the catalyst for the push from NCADA to get this anti-Tesla language in there.

Another note for anyone reading the initial post. I typoed the following line and can't edit it now. It should read:

"Please reference the appropriate bills when contacting. NC House bill H455 and NC Senate bills S384 and S385."

Since it was the line asking to reference the appropriate bill, and listing the wrong one, I wanted to note.

 

[mrwuffles]

The problem is, the one's running the legislature, including likely the sponsors, tend to be from the rural counties that rarely even see a Tesla. We were in Hickory last weekend and only saw other Teslas passing through at the Hickory SC. We stayed in a well-off neighborhood. Lots of other expensive marques, but no Teslas. Got a lot of rubbernecking that we haven't experienced much here since the S and Leaf first became popular.

That said, will watch this thread.

 

[Rogue Synapse]

Shoot, Hickory is downright urban and progressive compared to some of the surrounding area. So is Asheville for that matter, but I don't see nearly as many Teslas here as when I lived in the Triangle. Our state has a frustratingly gerrymandered balance of power.