AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Tesla passed on Texas as the site of its new $5 billion battery factory, but the company still hopes to sell its electric cars directly to Texans over the Internet, instead of through dealerships, and it is dangling the carrot of future investment projects as an incentive.
The automaker doesn't use outside salesmen or franchised dealers to sell its cars because it says they have too much invested in promoting traditional, gasoline-powered vehicles. The practice is prohibited in Texas and at least somewhat restricted by many other states' laws on new vehicle sales.
Proposals to allow direct car sales in Texas stalled during the 2013 legislative session, but the Pala Alto, California-based automaker appears poised to rev up efforts to revive the issue as lawmakers head back to work next month.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/texas/article/Tesla-wants-Texas-auto-sales-regulations-loosened-5941329.php
The automaker doesn't use outside salesmen or franchised dealers to sell its cars because it says they have too much invested in promoting traditional, gasoline-powered vehicles. The practice is prohibited in Texas and at least somewhat restricted by many other states' laws on new vehicle sales.
Proposals to allow direct car sales in Texas stalled during the 2013 legislative session, but the Pala Alto, California-based automaker appears poised to rev up efforts to revive the issue as lawmakers head back to work next month.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/texas/article/Tesla-wants-Texas-auto-sales-regulations-loosened-5941329.php