Tesla Motors To End Sales In New Jersey

Tesla Motors has been battling challenges to direct sales for a while now across many states, with the matter going as far as a White House petition. The good fight has been lost in New Jersey, however, and as such Tesla Motors will end direct sales of its vehicle in the state on April 1.

On its blog today, Tesla posted a write-up stating that Governor Christie's administration dropped its agreement to delay a proposed bill that would prevent Tesla from offering direct car sales in the state. A short while later, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission approved the change, requiring a franchise agreement to secure a sales license.

A spokesperson for the ruling administration says that it isn't "appropriate to unilaterally change" car sales methods in the state sans legislation, and that Tesla Motors was aware of its stance from the start. This follows closely on similar decisions in Arizona and Texas.

Said Tesla Motors in a statement: "We strongly believe it is vital to introduce our own vehicles to the market because electric cars are still a relatively new technology. This model is not just a matter of selling more cars and providing optimum consumer choice for Americans, but it is also about educating consumers about the benefits of going electric, which is central to our mission to accelerate the shift to sustainable transportation, a new paradigm in automotive technology."

Check out the timeline below for other recent Tesla direct sales battles.

VIA: Wall Street Journal

SOURCE: Tesla Motors