In a legal battle fought for more than three years, Tesla has been given the go ahead to build a dealership in Virginia.
The electric automaker was first banned from selling its vehicles directly to customers in Virginia back in early 2013. Despite Tesla’s attempts to reverse this, it was denied a dealership license for Richmond, Virginia in September. However, that decision has been reversed.
Commissioner of Virginia’s Department of Motor Vehicles, Richard Holcomb, made the decision on Wednesday after Tesla filed an exception to the September ruling. The brand said that its direct-to-consumer sales model wasn’t applicable to Virginian law because it isn’t a competitor to franchised dealerships.
In his decision, Holcomb wrote “I believe it would be unreasonable and not in the public interest to require the removal of that relationship — Tesla to Tesla’s customers — and require the interjection of a third party which could possibly create distance from Tesla’s already proven successful concept.”
After the ruling, Tesla said that it will begin construction of a dealership and second service center in the state shortly.
Despite this victory, Tesla is still facing similar legal battles elsewhere in the U.S. In fact, Texas, Iowa and Michigan continue to forbid the company selling its models locally.
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