Tesla’s ongoing battle to directly sell its wares to the public has come to Georgia, where the automaker is asking for a dismissal of a petition by the state’s dealer association seeking to ban Tesla from conducting such sales.
Atlanta Business Chronicle reports the petition, filed with the Georgia Department of Revenue by the Georgia Automobile Dealers Association in late August of 2014, demands Tesla sell its Model S and other models through a franchise network, the automaker’s alleged violation of the Georgia Motor Vehicles Franchise Practices Act serving as the foundation for said petition. Tesla, of course, said that wasn’t the case:
GADA’s arguments rely on a wholesale misapplication of the FPA. The FPA only regulates conduct between franchisors and their affiliated franchisees, and does not apply to Tesla, which has no franchisees.
GADA also asserts that Tesla cannot directly sell to the public because of another cited statute — one that allows direct sales only if a given vehicle is “manufactured or assembled in accordance with custom-design specifications of the customer” — proclaiming Tesla offers no such thing to its customers. Representative Derrick Dickey stated that his employer is eager for Tesla to follow the letter of the law, “just like every other automobile manufacturer that sells new vehicles in Georgia.
The case is expected to be heard in court early next month. Until then, Tesla will continue to sell directly to the public under an exemption for ZEV models, which currently limits a given automaker to just 150 per year.
How many hours can a Tesla sit in Atlanta traffic with the A/C running full blast? Doesn’t matter, it’s different and expensive so Atlanta wants
A/C in an EV uses much less energy than the uninitiated would assume. Typically 2-3% impact on range. Teslas have a huge battery, I would anticipate it can sit in traffic longer than a gas car could.
Folks often ask me about my LEAF and its range then it hits them. “What if you get stuck in traffic”? I explain that EV’s are at their most efficient travelling at a snails pace even with A/C on. My anticipated miles goes UP when I get stuck in a downtown snarl up.
All the while gas cars are spewing air pollution in a snarl up and getting horrible gas mileage to boot.
“uninitiated” ?? I’m from Atlanta were people keep their unattended cars idling with the A/C on to keep from sticking to the seats and ripping their skin off
Oh, yeah and electricity production cause no pollution at least not in YOUR neighborhood
Be aware the ‘pollution’ where it may end up entering the atmosphere, will be greatly reduced with an EV vs a gasoline car. They are so much more efficient and use much less total energy, 60-80% less.
With an EV you don’t have to leave the car idling unattended. One can turn the A/C on remotely via the internet/smart phone 5-10 minutes before you get in it. As an example, while you are standing at the checkout line is a great time to do this.
But what if I am from Fukushima prefecture or Pripiyat,Ukraine?
You live in much closer proximity to lots and lots of small, inefficient, minimally after-treated, particulate-spewing power plants than you do to large-scale, efficient, scrubber-equipped electric power plants which are sited far away from population centers.
My Volt in 100F Texas direct heat with full blast AC is 3-4kW constant load. Assuming a Tesla’s is at the higher end of that range (4kW) due to its size, you could sit in Atlanta traffic for about 18 hours before exhausting a S85, assuming also that the heat and humidity remain constant during that period.
For an EV, cold and damp is the most power-sapping condition, since you run both the AC for defogging as well as heating. I reckon 38-45F at 75+% humidity is the absolute worst, I’ve seen 6-7kW sustained use, which far outstrips the Volt’s recharge rate so even if it’s plugged into shore power it still hits the battery to maintain that level of use, which is why GM needs moar powar chargars.
Newer Leafs use heat pumps for heating and cooling. I just ran a quick test on a Leaf showing a 34f degree exterior temp , sitting for 12 hours, and a climate control setting of 72 degrees. The car gave me numbers of about 1.5 to 2 kw power draw. After lowering the climate control to a 62 degree temp, it dropped to less than 1kw.
Just hooked it up to an external meter and plugged it in. Will have to wait for it to come back to full charge, then I’ll turn on the climate control and see what I get for a reading. I’ll try to remember to report back later.
Interesting test, I’m interested in the outcome. Be aware the heat and A/C are moderated in ECO mode vs regular drive mode. How much I’m not sure.
>> Be aware the heat and A/C are moderated in ECO mode vs regular drive mode. How much I’m not sure.
You’re right. I had it in ECO mode. In the plugged-in test, it read the max 1300 watt draw of the of the charger. I just tried it unplugged and without ECO mode and I was getting 1.4 to 1.5 kw according to the cars status display for climate control power usage. On newer Leafs, go to info and energy usage. You can get a display that breaks down where your power is being used in real-time.
My ’12 Leaf is now heading into its 3rd winter (western PA). It could be tough, and I envy the newer models with the heat pump.
Not that I ever see another Leaf around here.
I occasionally see a black Leaf in the Fort Pitt Tunnels, usually in the left lane.
Teslas are passe. I want a Mirai.
Yikes! That fell out of Toyota’s ugly tree and hit every branch that the Lexus missed on the way down
http://yournewsticker.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Toyota-Mirai-1.jpg
(Warning: Finish your breakfast first)
Perfect urban vehicle; suck up rats, small winos and dropped food through those front vents, process them for H2. Very sustainable.
They should name it the “Inner-City Roomba”
With those 10,000 psi hydrogen tanks, Toyota at some point might be able to take credit for having the first flying car that doesn’t require wings or a propeller.
I know, we shouldn’t worry since Toyota was able to fire a 50 caliber bullet at the tank without a problem and — Toyota has never had a recall right.. Valves and connections won’t fail – after all it’s only 10,000 psi. Can’t wait to see the Kenworth crush test.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/08/20140829-tmc.html
Of course, buyers can just go to Florida, NC or TN and buy Tesla’s there. These dealer associations remind me unions.
This reminds me of visiting college friends in Boston, who on more than one occasion made Saturday midnight beer runs all the way to New Hampshire when the party ran dry. Idiotic market regulations can have all sorts of unintended consequences.
Indeed. They are legalized cartels.
Thanks in part to a playing field tilted by compliant legislators, it seems that auto dealerships are very profitable businesses, and dealers will go to great lengths to keep the OEMs out of it.
The fact that GADA is willing to spend heavily to keep a fringe player like Tesla out of their market is very telling. Bad for consumers, though.
It’s all about campaign contributions.