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Tesla loses its shot at direct car sales in Texas

If you want to buy a Model S in Texas, you're going to have to jump through some hoops for at least the next couple of years. Bills that would let Tesla sell cars directly to customers aren't going to get a vote before the state's legislative session wraps up on June 1st, leaving the electric vehicle maker high and dry until the next session kicks off in 2017. This doesn't mean that you're completely out of luck if you want Tesla-made transportation in Austin (see above for proof), but you can't simply pick one up.

The setback isn't completely surprising given how fiercely dealership lobby groups fight to protect their business model, but Texas poses some additional challenges. A lot of the state's political clout rests in rural areas, where dealerships are more vital to the community in terms of both jobs and sponsorships. Representatives are more likely to support these local businesses than a California company trying to up-end the dealership model, even if it would help both competition and the environment.

[Image credit: the author, Flickr]