CASEY: Looks like Tesla's planning to open an electric-vehicle dealership in Roanoke
- by The Roanoke Times
- Oct 20, 2024
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Thursday I went shopping for a Tesla in Roanoke. I did it from my home office. Thatâs because thereâs no Tesla dealer in Big Lick â or anywhere else in Western Virginia. Not yet, anyway.
The closest used Tesla I could find online was at a Rocky Mount used car lot. 220 Motors had a black 2018 Model 3 with a range of 260 miles-per-charge. The car has 88,422 miles and can be yours for $19,995, according to an ad on AutoTrader.com.
Neil Aneja of Roanoke with his Foundation Series Tesla Cybertruck, which he bought in Tysons Corner about a month ago. Seth Greenberg salutes Tony Bennett as man of principles
This time, the Elon Musk-led company is seeking DMV exemptions for dealerships in: Roanoke; Fredericksburg; Haymarket; and in Annandale, Springfield or Lorton; as well as in Leesburg or Ashburn. That suggests itâs planning to open at least five more Virginia stores but has yet to choose precise locations, though all but the Roanoke one are in the Northern Virginia or nearby.
Tesla has filed paperwork with the DMV seeking a Nov. 1 hearing in Richmond regarding its plans.
The automaker didnât respond to emails I sent its media relations department Thursday and Friday. Those posed questions such as when Tesla expects to have a dealership up and running in Roanoke, where would it be located, and why the company is seeking exemptions now.
Hearing notice for Teslaâs expansion plans, published in the Oct. 13, 2024 edition of The Roanoke Times.
THE ROANOKE TIMES
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Many states limit car manufacturers from selling vehicles directly to consumers. In Virginia, the proscription is laid out in a code section 46.22-1572: âIt shall be unlawful for any motor vehicle manufacturer ⦠to own, operate, or control any motor vehicle dealership in the Commonwealth,â the law states. But the statute also provides for exceptions.
One allows a manufacturer to open a dealership âif the Commissioner determines, after a hearing at the request of any party, that there is no dealer independent of the manufacturer ⦠to own and operate the franchise in a manner consistent with the public interest.â
Jillian Cowherd, a spokeswoman for the DMV, said the agency is currently in possession of no paperwork from Tesla that goes into any detail about the companyâs Virginia plans.
âApparently (the legal ad) is the first step in the process,â Cowherd said.
Jeff Kelley, a spokesman for the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association, said the hearing is to establish for Tesla the exceptions outlined in the law. At this time, VADA has taken no position on Teslaâs hearing request, Kelley added.
The association in the past has opposed Tesla expanding its Virginia dealer network.
âTesla is obligated, as a functioning Virginia automotive dealer, to abide by the same state and federal rules as other dealers, but continues to refuse to do so,â Kelley said. âThe company has been cited with numerous violations by Virginiaâs Motor Vehicle Dealer Board, particularly in regards to misleading advertising regarding pricing and incentives.
âVirginiaâs franchised dealers are committed to selling and servicing electric vehicles and have invested heavily in service upgrades, infrastructure, and training to support them,â Kelley added. Many traditional car brands are releasing new EV and hybrid vehicles, creating a larger selection of these great vehicles for consumers.
âThe reality, however, is that consumer demand for EVs in Virginia and nationally has not materialized, compounded by costs, ârange anxiety,â and the lack of charging and electrical infrastructure to support these new vehicles,â Kelley said.
One local who sounded thrilled that Tesla might be coming here is Neil Aneja, a local real estate and e-commerce entrepreneur. Heâs the only Roanoker I know who owns two Teslas.
Neil Aneja of Roanoke inside his Tesla Cybertruck, which he bought about a month ago at a Tesla dealership in Tysons Corner.
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