The list of groups is notable in itself. Some signatories, particularly the Sierra Club and the Koch brothers-backed Americans for Prosperity, are typically pursuing opposite goals, however the conservative free-market advocates and pro-environment lobbyists all seem to agree that Tesla should be able to sell its vehicles directly to customers.
“These laws retard innovation by making it harder for new technologies to achieve wide distribution and hence reach an adequate scale to be sustainable in the market,” reads the open letter to government officials. “We call on legislators, governors, and other public servants across the political spectrum to take a stand against laws that block direct automotive distribution to the detriment of innovation, the economy, consumers, and the environment.”
The letter, first reported by Bloomberg, argues that restrictive laws have broader implications beyond just Tesla. Dealer lobbyists have countered that everyone should have to abide by the laws, and Tesla shouldn’t be allowed to play by a different set of rules.
Speaking during the company’s recent earnings call, CEO Elon Musk noted that he had a “secret weapon on the demand side” and “might release a good weapon against the dealers,” however he has yet to elaborate on the comments.
The company has generally won support from both sides of the aisle whenever the state-by-state battles have emerged into public view.
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