Sure, there are a lot of reasons to be dubious about whether electric cars are a technology that needs to be fast tracked to save the planet. That doesn’t mean the companies who make them shouldn’t have a chance to compete. Michigan’s Republican Governor Rick Snyder just signed a bill preventing Tesla Motors from using a different retail model for selling cars in Michigan. Seems like a pretty transparent political payoff to Detroit’s big automakers.
https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/524678252703780864
The Detroit Free Press reports: Gov. Snyder signs bill banning direct Tesla sales
Dealers have tolerated and learned to cooperate with online car shopping services such as Edmunds.com and TrueCar.com. But a manufacturer who bypasses the traditional franchise system to sell directly, either in physical stores or online, is a threat, even a low-volume automaker like Tesla.
So if someone out-innovates your business, rather than adapting to compete, just get your government cronies to make the innovation illegal.
Earlier this week Tesla CEO Elon Musk called it “anti-consumer” legislation.
Michigan auto dealers trying to pass anti-consumer legislation http://t.co/qEr5oz3CyE
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 17, 2014
@elonmusk more attempts at protectionist, pro monopoly, outdated thinking legislation?
— MacArthur For Baltimore (@BaltoSpectator) October 17, 2014
Land of the Free RT @zerohedge: Michigan becomes fifth U.S. state to thwart direct Tesla car sales http://t.co/hY2IqPFtOi
— Nick Hall (@NickXHall) October 21, 2014
So.Dumb. "Pure Michigan…shooting itself in the foot, one toe at a time "Gov. Snyder signs Anti-Tesla Bill" http://t.co/l5q577ZUJG
— KevinKrease (@kevinkrease) October 21, 2014
Michigan state law now requires that Tesla (& others) must sell cars via networks of franchised dealers: http://t.co/EDGonnCaND
— Forbes (@Forbes) October 21, 2014
https://twitter.com/SiloAAOlis/status/524675814890024960
https://twitter.com/afscozia/status/524679700866936832
@Forbes shame. Definitely a step in the wrong direction. #tesla
— Haydon Smiley (@Haydon_Smiley) October 21, 2014
@zerohedge If you can't beat em, have the government shut em down. Love it!!!
— Ted Trebblehorn (@Bizasskickr) October 21, 2014
Crony “capitalism.”
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