2018 Tesla Model X P100d on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Tesla news roundup: Supportive bill proposed in NJ; NHTSA ends investigation

The ongoing dealer fight against Tesla Motors in a number of states continues to evolve, with two bits of news out of Ohio and New Jersey this week. There is good news and, well, good news. And then there's lots more news. In Ohio, the automaker won a compromise bill that won't exactly let Tesla to do whatever it wants, but it will let the company's two existing stores stay open and a third to come online. Tesla sent AutoblogGreen a statement from Diarmuid O'Connell, VP of corporate and business development, on the situation there: We're pleased with the compromise reached in the Senate Committee to amend SB 260 to allow Ohio residents to continue to purchase electric vehicles directly from Tesla at our two existing stores and one additional location in Ohio. Tesla stores are essential to educating customers about electric vehicle technology and building a mass market for EVs. We look forward to continuing to provide our Ohio customers with the full Tesla experience and to further investing in the state by employing Ohioans both directly at our stores and service centers, and through our Ohio-based suppliers of parts and components. Meanwhile, over in New Jersey, Assemblyman Tim Eustace introduced legislation that would reverse the ban on Tesla stores in that state. On Facebook, the EV-driving Assemblyman wrote, "We need to attract companies that will create jobs and promote economic growth. If the governor is unwilling, then the Legislature will get it done." You can read the proposed bill here. Also, coinciding with the announcement of the new titanium underbody shields for the Model S, the NHTSA said it has closed its investigation into three Model S fires and said that, "A defect trend has not been identified." With the political landscape constantly changing, lots of editorial voices are joining the discussion. As The New York Times editorial board says, "the fight with Tesla is not really about this niche company" and basically comes to the same conclusion we did the other day: "Instead of fighting Tesla, dealers should be improving customer service." Possible 2016 presidential candidate Marco Rubio (R-FL) also jumped into the fray, saying on CNBC that he has no problem with Tesla's business model. You can see a clip of that below as well as a short video of a Model S delivery staging area in Europe. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party.

How the Chinese tycoon driving Volvo plans to tackle Tesla

HANGZHOU, China — "Do you know how big Volvo is?" asked Don Leclair, finance chief at Ford. It was 2008, and Leclair was responding to an offer from a little-known Chinese businessman to purchase the Swedish carmaker, which Ford owned. The businessman, Li Shufu, had a company with less than half Volvo's sales and a flagship model, King Kong, almost unknown outside China. He was politely shown the door of the "Glass House," Ford's iconic headquarters near Detroit, according to two people who were at the meeting. Ford's Leclair did not respond to requests for comment about the episode. Fast-forward to 2021 and Li Shufu's company, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, is one of the biggest-selling automakers in the world's biggest auto market. It controls not only Volvo Cars but also a clutch of global auto brands, and a significant stake in German giant Daimler AG, the maker of Mercedes-Benz. These names are now part of its plans for a revolution in autos. Geely is preparing Volvo for a listing on the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange as a route towards the future of transportation: One where cars are part of an electrified network of mobility services, driving themselves, connecting to each other and — like cellphones — generating an array of data and new business opportunities. It's a vision more Silicon Valley than Detroit, where traditional automakers globally are chasing another giant — Tesla Inc. Li Shufu and his advisers eventually convinced Ford to part with Volvo in 2010 for $1.8 billion. It was the first in a string of deals, tapping brands such as Lotus, Smart and the London Electric Vehicle Company to form a network that he calls a "bigger circle of friends" across industry segments. Li Shufu sees them as building blocks to help Geely compete in a future where autos are not vehicles, but "service providers," he told Reuters in his management suite at Geely's headquarters in Hangzhou, eastern China. In that business model, cars will be available on subscription and offer services such as making payments and in-car apps. They will update their own software, and spawn opportunities in the same way as the mobile operating systems developed by Apple Inc and Google. "We are trying to create an automotive ecosystem similar to Android," he said. Li Shufu, 58, recently adopted a foreign first name - Eric - because he liked the sound of it.

Dealers in Georgia latest to oppose Tesla showrooms

Tesla has been fighting challenges from dealer groups in several states for years due to the company's decision to sell directly to customers at stores rather than through franchise dealers. The business has won some of these battles like its recent compromise in Pennsylvania, which allows the company to open five stores there. Now, Tesla has another legal struggle ahead of it because the Georgia Automobile Dealers Association is hoping to shut down the brand's boutiques.
The Georgia dealers recently filed a petition to revoke Tesla's dealer license in the state and prevent it from reapplying for another one, according to Automotive News. The company currently operates just one store in Marietta, GA, but it reportedly has two more locations planned around Atlanta in the future. The association claims that Tesla's license limits it to direct sales of a maximum of 150 vehicles a year. It's now selling more than that, but attempting to increase the restriction.
If Tesla wants to keep selling cars in the state, which boasts high incentives and strong popularity around Atlanta for EVs, it needs to switch to franchises, according to the dealers. "No one should be allowed to act as if they are above the law, especially when there is a simple path to compliance that everyone else has agreed to follow," said Bill Morie, president of the association, to Automotive News.