A CHARGED SITUATION, May 2014

Technology, tradition and Tesla

When it comes to technology, California-based electric car manufacturer Tesla is undoubtedly on the automotive world’s cutting edge. But the company’s direct-to-consumer sales methods are, for many states, a blade that cuts a little too close to the bone. And as with other consumer-direct companies and products making waves in the marketplace — think Bitcoin, Uber and Airbnb to name a few — lawmakers are finding themselves uncomfortably caught between protecting the status quo and fostering innovation.

Tesla’s engine-less vehicles are marvels of modern automotive engineering — sleek, fast and stylish in ways that previous electric vehicle makers likely never dreamed possible. They are also pricey, starting at $60,000 and rising to over $100,000. Befitting that, the company’s sales model is aimed directly at the well-heeled, tech-savvy consumer who is comfortable with buying just about anything online. Tesla defies the longstanding system that requires cars to be sold only through privately-owned dealerships in favor of a buyer experience similar to visiting an Apple store in the local mall. Which, incidentally, is where many of Tesla’s stores can be found. (click to continue reading)

Rich Ehisen

Rich Ehisen is an award-winning journalist, editor, and public speaker who has spent more than twenty-five years interviewing and reporting on politicians, athletes, authors, CEOs, celebrities, artists, cops, doers, and dreamers all over the country. He is the managing editor of the State Net Capitol Journal, a LexisNexis publication that covers all 50 statehouses, and his freelance work has appeared in a variety of publications across the country.

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