Tesla opening electric car store inside Atlanta mall
Tesla Motors, already under fire from Georgia car dealers, is slated to open a mini-showroom inside Lenox Square mall later this month.
The 3,000-square-foot store, the electric car company’s first inside a Georgia mall, will have enough room for just two of Tesla’s vehicles, spokeswoman Alexis Georgeson said Tuesday.
It is slated to open Nov. 21. On the same day, Tesla also plans to open a service center with sales operations on Church Street in Decatur, Georgeson said. Currently, Tesla’s only outlet in the state is in Marietta. The company’s Model S, its only vehicle currently under production, carries a $69,900 base price.
Rival dealers contend Tesla is in violation of a state law that forbids it from selling more than 150 units annually. Unlike traditional U.S. car manufacturers, Tesla sells direct to consumers rather than through independent dealers.
Georgeson said, “We sold less than 150 cars last year in Georgia and therefore believe we are in compliance with Georgia law.”
A hearing before an administrative law judge is scheduled next month.
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Matt Kempner is an award-winning journalist who seeks out intriguing twists about people and subjects beyond what the AJC might typically cover. A former columnist and editor, his past assignments have included business investigations, energy, the economy, entrepreneurs, big business, consumer spending, politics, government and the environment.
