Tesla Inc. is taking Wisconsin to court over a decision that blocks it from opening dealerships in the state, according to Wisconsin Public Radio. The electric car company last year applied for dealer licenses to sell its vehicles, and the state denied its request in December, stating that Tesla did not qualify for an exemption to a state law barring manufacturers from owning dealerships.
Tesla filed a petition for a judicial review of the decision in Outagamie County Circuit Court on Jan. 15, asking the court to overturn Wisconsin’s decision or order a new hearing on Tesla’s request.
The company’s court filings show that over 13,000 Tesla vehicles are registered statewide. It estimates it sold 3,000–4,000 electric vehicles to Wisconsinites last year. The company operates two “non-sales galleries” in Madison and Milwaukee, and court documents said that sales to Wisconsin customers usually occur in Illinois or Minnesota.
