The electric car dream is on in the Empire State: electric car makers Tesla Motors can keep its five stores in New York, and Governor Cuomo says he will soon introduce legislation that will protect the agreement allowing the company to sell its vehicles directly to consumers.
Earlier this month, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie made headlines when he banned the company from selling to consumers. Cars are sold through independently-owned dealerships, not directly through companies, and Tesla has been battling states across the country to sell their cars directly. Recently, they reached an agreement that allows them to sell to consumers directly in Ohio; currently, only California, Virginia, Colorado and New Hampshire allow direct sales.
Cuomo called the deal a "win-win for consumers, for the franchised auto dealers and manufacturers who play such a vital role in New York's economy, and for cutting-edge companies like Tesla."
The company has had a few technical problems with its cars. There were two incidents last year in which Tesla Model S sedans ignited and burst into flames when running over debris, and in January the company had to recall about 29,000 wall adapters for its 2013 Model S after there was a report of an adapter cord catching fire in a California home. Tesla says it has since addressed these issues, and federal safety regulars have closed their investigation into the car's design.
