Tesla just got some legal help in challenging the rules surrounding auto sales.
The electric vehicle company sued Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission members and others in 2022 for trying to prevent it from obtaining a license to sell directly to customers in the state without a third-party dealership, per Electrek. The case was dismissed, but Tesla appealed the decision at the federal level, with the court siding with the company 2 to 1.
According to Reuters, U.S. Circuit Judge Jerry Smith wrote in his decision that Tesla was able to show "plausible actual bias" through emails from the commission's executive director promising Tesla competitors that their complaints would be addressed. The case will now go back to the U.S. district judge who dismissed the case in 2023.
According to Electrek, Tesla's case "could expose the shenanigans that are going in the commission, which is undoubtedly abusing the law to prevent competition. It could set the stage for another run at the legislation to fix the mistakes that allow this abuse of the law."
Making electric vehicles like Tesla more accessible to consumers will be beneficial in the long run, lowering pollution by reducing the need for fossil fuels, which contribute over 75% of greenhouse gas emissions and 90% of all carbon dioxide emissions, according to the United Nations.
There are also financial benefits, with Tesla reducing prices on popular models, and the Inflation Reduction Act offering as much as $7,500 in tax credits for qualified EV models. If you're curious about buying an electric vehicle, check out The Cool Down's Guide on switching to an EV.
Meanwhile, Tesla's popularity is continuing to grow with official organizations as well. The city of Baltimore recently voted to spend $5 million to purchase Teslas for city employees to use after previously switching to electric school buses. The Irvine, California, police department announced earlier this year that it would be incorporating Cybertrucks into its fleet, joining other cities like South Pasadena, California, which was the first city in the U.S. to switch its entire fleet of patrol cars to electric vehicles.
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