The bill sitting on Governor Rick Snyder's desk that would ban Tesla Motors from selling its cars directly to consumers in Michigan now has General Motors as a supporter.
The bill, H.B. 5606 was originally written to prevent franchised dealers from charging customers additional fees, but was amended to include the anti-Tesla text – with no time for debate or public comment – before it passed the House and Senate, and is now waiting for Snyder's signature or veto.
Here's GM's official statement on the matter:
We believe that House Bill 5606 will help ensure that all automotive manufacturers follow the same rules to operate in the State of Michigan; therefore, we encourage Governor Snyder to sign it.
This isn't the first time GM has come out in support of bill that would ban Tesla's direct-sales model. In March, GM sent a letter to Ohio Governor John Kasich expressing concern about the state's plans to allow Tesla to sell in the state, arguing that it would "allow Tesla to compete under a completely different set of rules." That bill, SB137, was eventually struck down in the Ohio Senate.
Tesla posted this response to the bill when it passed last week.