Wisconsin state law says that an auto manufacturer is not allowed to sell their cars directly to the public but needs to work through a dealership. The manufacturers may however, apply for an exemption.
President Elmo and his electric rolling dumpster manufacturing company, Tesla, applied for an exemption but was denied. They are now suing the state to have the decision overturned.
But there are a couple, three things about said lawsuit that makes it noteworthy.
One is the timing. It comes just after it was reported that Tesla is tanking because of Elmo's fascist ways:
It comes after Tesla posted its first annual sales drop in more than a decade last year. In California, the nation’s largest electric vehicle market, the company’s sales fell by around 12 percent last year. Tesla is also seeing a sales slump in Europe to start this year.
In its filing, Tesla comes out and admits that it is hoping to boost sales by opening their own dealerships. Note to Elmo and Tesla. It snows in Wisconsin. It snows a lot. And we have all seen how well your rolling dumpsters do in the snow. I wouldn't count on a big jump in sales.
Another thing that is really peculiar. Tesla already has two non-sales galleries in Wisconsin - one in Milwaukee and one in Madison. Those are also the places that Tesla applied for opening their own dealerships. However, they file their lawsuit in Outagamie County. I don't see how a judge in one county is going to make a decision that doesn't have anything to do with their county. It sure seems like Tesla was doing some judge shopping, doesn't it?
Lastly, the whole request seems kind of shady. Tesla asked for the exemption because they claimed there were no dealerships that would be able to own and operate a dealership to their specifications. However, the state had the receipts from the auto and truck dealers association saying otherwise.
But President Elmo isn't the kind of guy who would run a scam to maximize his profits, right? Right?
OK, now go clean off your screen after that spit take.
