Tesla's state-by-state battle with dealers
Tesla Motors, the upstart electric car maker whose Model S has been lauded by Consumer Reports and Motor Trend, has run into trouble in some states where manufacturer-owned retail stores are regulated.
Anyone in the United States can start the process of buying a Tesla by phone or online, but dealers say Tesla's factory stores are illegal in some states. Competing state legislation and dealer lawsuits have emerged addressing to what degree Tesla storefront personnel can discuss price or guide the purchase of a car.
Here's a breakdown of where states with Tesla storefronts stand.
|Tesla's storefronts are...|
|Legally allowed||Legally allowed with restrictions on number of cars sold or number of stores||Uncertain*||Challenged in court, by legislation or regulation.||Banned. Displays and in some cases test drives are allowed.|
|*No formal legal or legislative challenges are known|
|Gray indicates states where Tesla does not have a storefront.|
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