They are powerful, but not as powerful as us! Remember, all politicians (Dems, Reps & others) all want one thing above all else...to get RE-elected. They need money for sure which is why lobbying groups like the dealers have influence, but they also need VOTES and lots of them. There are hundreds of Tesla owners in Charleston and thousands across South Carolina. If each of us writes our State House Rep and State Senator about this Bill, its chances of passage go way up. Also important to remember Volvo has a huge voice in this state thanks to their massive investment near Ridgeville. Well Volvo wants half of their sales to be BEV in 5 years. And Polestar, Volvo’s new all electric brand, looks to be mimicking Tesla with retail spaces and online ordering, no dealers. SB 379 does not mention Tesla, it merely says manufacturers of electric cars may sell directly. This could apply to Polestar as well which I imagine Volvo would support. Bottom line, write your representatives about this and push for change.