I'm wondering whether people in California think it would be worth agitating for a modification to how California thinks about and collects Use Tax on vehicle sales. As we know, the current policy amounts to a "no-out-of-state driver pickup at the factory" policy (first charged CA sales tax, and then get to pay sales tax again in the state the car gets registered in).
As an out-of-stater, that's annoying as I would like the option to pickup my new Model X at the factory, get the tour, and go on a bit of a road trip to return home (especially once the supercharger network is built out).
But enough about me - it seems to me that the policy is also costing California sales tax and other tourism related economic benefits. If California had an option to not collect sales tax on car purchases that will be registered out of state, then you would create the possibility of that whole pickup-new-car at the factory tourism business. As Tesla begins shipping cars to Europe and Asia, why not make California a destination for vacationing families from Europe and Asia who come to America to pickup their car, drive it around for a few weeks (mostly in California), seeing the sights, visiting theme parks, etc.. As people do with European cars, then take them to a third party, or back to Tesla, to package up the car and ship it "home". Sounds a lot like the BMW and other European manufacturer experience doesn't it? Except now it's happening in California primarily (good excuse for a Supercharger over Grand Canyon way, and other fantastic West Coast sights).
For those of us living in the states, some number would use this as an opportunity for an EV road trip. And every one of those road trips and vacations would start in California.
As an outsider, it looks to me like California is intentionally trying to keep this cottage industry from coming into existence, and that doesn't seem smart.
Heck - make it a special case - that car manufacturers making a sale of a new car that will be registered out of state, have access to a new temporary tag (say 3 weeks) that can't be renewed, and which doesn't carry Use Tax consequences. The California DMV can even collect a few bucks that aren't otherwise available.
As an out-of-stater, that's annoying as I would like the option to pickup my new Model X at the factory, get the tour, and go on a bit of a road trip to return home (especially once the supercharger network is built out).
But enough about me - it seems to me that the policy is also costing California sales tax and other tourism related economic benefits. If California had an option to not collect sales tax on car purchases that will be registered out of state, then you would create the possibility of that whole pickup-new-car at the factory tourism business. As Tesla begins shipping cars to Europe and Asia, why not make California a destination for vacationing families from Europe and Asia who come to America to pickup their car, drive it around for a few weeks (mostly in California), seeing the sights, visiting theme parks, etc.. As people do with European cars, then take them to a third party, or back to Tesla, to package up the car and ship it "home". Sounds a lot like the BMW and other European manufacturer experience doesn't it? Except now it's happening in California primarily (good excuse for a Supercharger over Grand Canyon way, and other fantastic West Coast sights).
For those of us living in the states, some number would use this as an opportunity for an EV road trip. And every one of those road trips and vacations would start in California.
As an outsider, it looks to me like California is intentionally trying to keep this cottage industry from coming into existence, and that doesn't seem smart.
Heck - make it a special case - that car manufacturers making a sale of a new car that will be registered out of state, have access to a new temporary tag (say 3 weeks) that can't be renewed, and which doesn't carry Use Tax consequences. The California DMV can even collect a few bucks that aren't otherwise available.