'Automakers dogpiling on Tesla' Another View: Michigan block on Tesla hurts buyers 'Happy Iowans flock to fill on banned Tesla Tech'
% Its an automaker dogpile on Tesla & the fighting back public is bypassing the establishment % http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/Beware-automakers-move-to-block-competition-280238172.html Beware automakers’ move to block competition By: Bloomberg View 10/23/2014 [image http://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/TESLA_MYSTERY_ANNOUNCEMENT_.jpg This time, the threat to the auto industry comes not from Japan but from Silicon Valley — home of Elon Musk and his electric-car company, Tesla. / RINGO H.W. CHIU / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ] The U.S. auto industry is at it again, pushing elected officials to adopt policies that protect it from innovative new entrants to the marketplace. This time, the threat to the auto industry comes not from Japan but from Silicon Valley — home of Elon Musk and his electric-car company, Tesla. Michigan this week joined a growing list of states that have acted to restrict the sale of Teslas. Michigan’s Republican governor, Rick Snyder, signed a bill banning auto manufacturers from selling directly to consumers, as Tesla’s business model requires. Manufacturers must instead go through a middleman: dealerships. Snyder argues that direct auto sales are already banned under Michigan law. Taking no chances, the state’s lawmakers have now prohibited manufacturers from selling "any new motor vehicle directly to a retail customer other than through franchised dealers." Presumably they wanted to deprive state judges of wiggle room. There’s no good reason for government to grant exclusive selling rights to auto dealerships. So far, consumers have mostly shrugged at the bans, because Tesla is a niche product — but that doesn’t make the idea any less absurd. Imagine telling Apple it couldn’t sell iPhones from its own stores. Efforts to protect incumbents from competition have a lousy record — especially in the auto industry. In the 1980s, Detroit’s Big Three auto manufacturers persuaded Congress and the Ronald Reagan administration to restrict Japanese imports, which were eating into sales of domestic gas guzzlers. The policy raised prices for American consumers, slowed U.S. innovation, and hastened Detroit along the road to long-term decay, ending in the largest municipal bankruptcy in American history. Snyder, who has won plaudits for his work to rescue Detroit from bankruptcy, says legislators should revisit the issue next year. Fat chance, given the industry’s clout. As long as campaign donations and union endorsements matter in elections, the industry will have no shortage of friends in high places — and Tesla will continue to fight an uphill battle. Yet Tesla may not even be the industry’s biggest concern. "Automakers and dealers worry that foreign automakers will enter the U.S. — perhaps from China — and set up operations that skirt franchise laws by having factory-owned stores," according to one industry analyst. "Existing automakers and their dealers fear that would put them at a competitive disadvantage and open the flood gates to even more such operations." That’s right: Sometimes, competition from newcomers does put incumbent firms at "a competitive disadvantage." It’s a good thing. Tesla is the first company that is trying to knock down the dealers’ monopoly on sales, but with luck, it won’t be the last. Any industry that shelters behind government restrictions that hurt consumers is headed for decline and deserves to be. [© 2014 Winnipeg Free Press] http://gas2.org/2014/10/24/european-auto-makers-target-tesla/ European Auto Makers Target Tesla ... http://www.autocar.co. [you kay] /car-news/new-cars/porsche-take-tesla-electric-version-all-new-model Porsche to take on Tesla with electric version of all-new model Secret new mid-sized electric car to go up against Californian company's highly rated Model S [image] The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo concept from 2012 hinted at new model by Greg Kable 24 October 2014 ... http://www.techinsider.net/tesla-motors-inc-tsla-will-be-crushed-by-porsche-mercedes-by-2020/1119357.html Tesla Will Be Crushed By Porsche & Mercedes By 2020? By Fahad Saleem October 26, 2014 http://paultan.org/2014/10/26/spyshots-mysterious-mercedes-benz-concept-autonomous-concept-ces-2015/ ... photos of a mysterious covered up Mercedes-Benz concept ... roofline is pretty unique ... the one-box shape features skinny tyres that ... could indicate some kind of ... electric car theme ... ... http://www.engadget.com/2014/10/26/porsche-and-mercedes-plan-tesla-rivals/ Porsche and Mercedes want electric cars that can fight Tesla ... http://cdn.ricochet.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/dogpile.jpg (image: a dogpile - like everyone attacking Tesla) ... http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dogpile#Verb http://www.lenconnect.com/article/20141024/OPINION/141029431/-1/news Another View: Michigan block on Tesla hurts buyers By Bloomberg View Oct. 24, 2014 Michigan joined a list of states that have blocked Tesla's no-dealership business model, but such government barriers unnecessarily block Tesla buyers and are no way to encourage innovation. [image http://www.lenconnect.com/storyimage/MI/20141024/OPINION/141029431/AR/0/AR-141029431.jpg A guest test drives Tesla Motors' new version of its Model S sedan, the P85D, in Hawthorne, Calif., Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014. The car has two motors, one powering the front wheels and one powering the rear wheels. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu) ] The following editorial appears on Bloomberg View: The U.S. auto industry is at it again, pushing elected officials to adopt policies that protect it from innovative new entrants to the marketplace. This time, the threat to the auto industry comes not from Japan but from Silicon Valley — home of Elon Musk and his electric-car company, Tesla. Michigan this week joined a growing list of states that have acted to restrict the sale of Teslas. Michigan’s Republican governor, Rick Snyder, signed a bill banning auto manufacturers from selling directly to consumers, as Tesla’s business model requires. Manufacturers must instead go through a middleman: dealerships. Snyder argues that direct auto sales are already banned under Michigan law. Taking no chances, the state’s lawmakers have now prohibited manufacturers from selling “any new motor vehicle directly to a retail customer other than through franchised dealers.” Presumably they wanted to deprive state judges of wiggle room. There’s no good reason for government to grant exclusive selling rights to auto dealerships. So far, consumers have mostly shrugged at the bans, because Tesla is a niche product — but that doesn’t make the idea any less absurd. Imagine telling Apple it couldn’t sell iPhones from its own stores. Efforts to protect incumbents from competition have a lousy record — especially in the auto industry. In the 1980s, Detroit’s Big Three auto manufacturers persuaded Congress and the Ronald Reagan administration to restrict Japanese imports, which were eating into sales of domestic gas guzzlers. The policy raised prices for American consumers, slowed U.S. innovation, and hastened Detroit along the road to long-term decay, ending in the largest municipal bankruptcy in American history. Snyder, who has won plaudits for his work to rescue Detroit from bankruptcy, says legislators should revisit the issue next year. Fat chance, given the industry’s clout. As long as campaign donations and union endorsements matter in elections, the industry will have no shortage of friends in high places — and Tesla will continue to fight an uphill battle. Yet Tesla may not even be the industry’s biggest concern. “Automakers and dealers worry that foreign automakers will enter the U.S. — perhaps from China — and set up operations that skirt franchise laws by having factory-owned stores,” according to one industry analyst. “Existing automakers and their dealers fear that would put them at a competitive disadvantage and open the flood gates to even more such operations.” That’s right: Sometimes, competition from newcomers does put incumbent firms at “a competitive disadvantage.” It’s a good thing. Tesla is the first company that is trying to knock down the dealers’ monopoly on sales, but with luck, it won’t be the last. Any industry that shelters behind government restrictions that hurt consumers is headed for decline and deserves to be. [© Gatehouse Media] http://www.kcci.com/news/iowans-get-their-fill-of-the-banned-tesla/29340178 Iowans get their fill of the banned Tesla By Steffi Lee Oct 25, 2014 URBANDALE, Iowa —Iowans flocked to the Hy-Vee parking lot in Urbandale Saturday to get a closer look at the electric-run Teslas, whose sales are banned in Iowa due to a law that stops the company from selling the car directly to the public without being a licensed auto dealer. Word about the ban spread in September when the Iowa Department of Transportation said Tesla's test drives weren't allowed. Minnesota owners drove to central Iowa this weekend to show off their gas-free vehicles and share their love of Teslas with Iowans. Owner Eric Jackson shared his passion, along with other Tesla owners who drove in from Minnesota Saturday. He was able to show off the technology and convenience of the electric vehicle. “You could live in your car almost. It's got everything you need,” Jackson said. Those who believe electric cars can do it all agree with Jackson, which is why some even brought out their converted electric cars to help Tesla owners spread the word. “I love the fact that there's a grass-roots effort from the Tesla owners themselves, to make sure everyone in Iowa has the opportunity to see these cars,” said Nabil Hanke, of Electric Dream Machine. Even with the ban on selling the car in Iowa, the owners said there's still a way to bring the electric experience here. “This isn't us fighting anything. I think everyone here understands that this is really about sharing new technology. This to me looks like any other car rally except for the lack of sound and smell,” one owner said. Knowing these owners came from another state to share their Teslas through test drives and showings makes some Iowans happy. “It's unreal. I think it's a good thing that they're doing it, though. Get it out there a little bit more,” said Dale Boom, of Urbandale. Texas, Arizona and Maryland join Iowa in not allowing people to publicly sell or test drive the car. Those who want a Tesla in a banned state can buy the car online. [© kcci.com] For EVLN posts use: http://www.evdl.org/archive/index.html#nabble+template%2FNamlServlet.jtp%3Fmacro%3Dsearch_page%26node%3D413529%26query%3Devln+-re%26sort%3Ddate {brucedp.150m.com} -- View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/Re-EVLN-GM-pu-hing2-kill-Tesla-sales-no-duh-Want-a-Tesla-Vote-tp4672195p4672236.html Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Nabble.com. _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
