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MIAMI, FL – JUNE 06: People walk out of a Tesla motor company dealership in the Dadeland Mall on June 6, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The electric car maker is trying to make a move by selling their cars, that can cost between $62,400 and $82,400, into malls and stores. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Joe Raedle via Getty Images
MIAMI, FL – JUNE 06: Nicholas Craan (L) and Francesco Campoy look at a Tesla motor company car in a dealership at the Dadeland Mall on June 6, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The electric car maker is trying to make a move by selling their cars, that can cost between $62,400 and $82,400, into malls and stores. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Joe Raedle via Getty Images
MIAMI, FL – JUNE 06: Gaelle Freer and her son Alexander LeVaillant Freer look at a Tesla motor company car in a dealership at the Dadeland Mall on June 6, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The electric car maker is trying to make a move by selling their cars, that can cost between $62,400 and $82,400, into malls and stores. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Joe Raedle via Getty Images
MIAMI, FL – JUNE 06: Marcelo Jaramillo, assistant store manager, (2nd R) shows a Tesla motor company car in a dealership at the Dadeland Mall on June 6, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The electric car maker is trying to make a move by selling their cars, that can cost between $62,400 and $82,400, into malls and stores. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Joe Raedle via Getty Images
MIAMI, FL – JUNE 06: People walk past a Tesla motor company dealership in the Dadeland Mall on June 6, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The electric car maker is trying to make a move by selling their cars, that can cost between $62,400 and $82,400, into malls and stores. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Joe Raedle via Getty Images
MIAMI, FL – JUNE 06: Tesla motor company accessories hang from the wall in the recently opened dealership in the Dadeland Mall on June 6, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The electric car maker is trying to make a move by selling their cars, that can cost between $62,400 and $82,400, into malls and stores. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Joe Raedle via Getty Images
MIAMI, FL – JUNE 06: People walk in a Tesla motor company dealership in the Dadeland Mall on June 6, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The electric car maker is trying to make a move by selling their cars, that can cost between $62,400 and $82,400, into malls and stores. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Joe Raedle via Getty Images
MIAMI, FL – JUNE 06: A Tesla motor company car is parked in a dealership in the Dadeland Mall on June 6, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The electric car maker is trying to make a move by selling their cars, that can cost between $62,400 and $82,400, into malls and stores. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Joe Raedle via Getty Images
The Tesla showroom is shown at the Washington Square Mall, Friday, July 20, 2012, in Portland, Ore. Tesla Motors only has 24 stores in the world, and now one of them is at Washington Square Mall in Portland. The company produces electric cars and hopes their product will be a hit with eco-conscious Oregonians. The cars can go from zero to 60 mph in less than six seconds, all without a drop of gasoline. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
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Amsterdam: Model S @ Tesla Store
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MIAMI, FL – JUNE 06: Marcelo Jaramillo, assistant store manager, (R) shows a Tesla motor company car in a dealership at the Dadeland Mall on June 6, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The electric car maker is trying to make a move by selling their cars, that can cost between $62,400 and $82,400, into malls and stores. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Joe Raedle via Getty Images
MIAMI, FL – JUNE 06: Gaelle Freer looks at a Tesla motor company car in a dealership at the Dadeland Mall on June 6, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The electric car maker is trying to make a move by selling their cars, that can cost between $62,400 and $82,400, into malls and stores. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Joe Raedle via Getty Images
MIAMI, FL – JUNE 06: Marcelo Jaramillo, assistant store manager, (R) explains how the Tesla motor company car works in a dealership at the Dadeland Mall on June 6, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The electric car maker is trying to make a move by selling their cars, that can cost between $62,400 and $82,400, into malls and stores. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Joe Raedle via Getty Images
Amsterdam: Model S @ Tesla Store
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Amsterdam: Tesla Store
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Eindhoven: Tesla Store
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There is a Tesla store inside this mall…
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DC Tesla Store
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New Tesla Motors store
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Tesla store
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Tesla Tyson’s
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A Tesla Model S is shown in the showroom at the Washington Square Mall, Friday, July 20, 2012, in Portland, Ore. Tesla Motors only has 24 stores in the world, and now one of them is at Washington Square Mall in Portland. The company produces electric cars and hopes their product will be a hit with eco-conscious Oregonians. The cars can go from zero to 60 mph in less than six seconds, all without a drop of gasoline. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
ASSOCIATED PRESSAnother state, another fight between Tesla and state legislators over the ability to sell cars directly to customers. This time, the battle ground is Utah, where HB384 was recently defeated. Well, paused, at least. While the bill was promoted as a piece of legislation that would help Tesla (it would have given Tesla a license in the state), the automaker was asking supporters to defeat it because it would, “usher in the most restrictive, anti-competitive and anti-consumer law of any state in which Tesla is licensed to sell.” One of those restrictions? Tesla could not keep inventory in the state or let customers sign financial documents in its stores.
Tesla had worked with Kim Coleman (R) on the bill, but it wasn’t the only one. When the text was finally released, the automaker didn’t like what it saw, and decided that its case in the Utah Supreme Court was a better place to try for a win rather than deal with the text as submitted.
A Tesla spokesperson told AutoblogGreen:
Tesla is grateful that HB 384 was sent to interim study rather than passed. HB 384 would have allowed Tesla to be licensed in Utah, but only with severe restrictions that would have harmed our Utah customers. These restrictions were inserted into the bill at the request of our competitors, who would like to dictate the terms by which our customers can be served. Because this bill was not passed, Tesla will be able to move forward with our pending lawsuit before the Utah Supreme Court and hopefully vindicate our right to serve our Utah customers without restriction.
As with so many of these state fights, expect the battle to flare up again at some point.