Authorizing manufacturers of battery electric motor vehicles to be licensed as motor vehicle dealers

Under current law, a motor vehicle manufacturer or importer is prohibited from directly or indirectly being licensed as, owning an interest in, operating, or controlling a motor vehicle dealer. There are limited exceptions provided, including temporarily to facilitate transfer of the motor vehicle dealership to a new owner; for the purpose of enhancing opportunities for persons who lack the financial resources to purchase the dealership without such assistance; where the dealer’s primary business is renting motor vehicles; for dealers of motor homes manufactured by that manufacturer; for dealers of the line-make manufactured by that manufacturer under certain circumstances; and for final-stage manufacturers of multi-stage manufactured vehicles under certain circumstances. This bill provides an additional exception that authorizes a manufacturer of battery electric motor vehicles to be licensed as a motor vehicle dealer of only the battery electric motor vehicles manufactured by that manufacturer. For purposes of the bill, “battery electric motor vehicle” means a motor vehicle equipped with electrical drivetrain components and not equipped with an internal combustion engine, that is propelled exclusively by one or more electrical motors using electrical energy stored in a battery or other energy storage device that can be recharged by plugging into an electrical outlet or electric vehicle charging station. A person who engages in the business of selling motor vehicles and who was not issued a dealer license by the department of transportation (DOT) commits a simple misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $250 nor more than $1,500 or by imprisonment not to exceed 30 days.3), a person who sells at retail more than six motor vehicles during a 12-month period is presumed to be engaged in the business of selling motor vehicles.