Tesla Motors taking a third crack at entering Conn. market

For the third consecutive year, Tesla Motors is trying to move into Connecticut. The state Transportation Committee is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the issue on Feb. 22 in Hartford.

The Palo Alto, California-based electric car maker has repeatedly sought to open several stores here to sell its line of automobiles, with the obstacle being the decades-old Connecticut Franchise Act, which prevents a manufacturer from unfairly opening stores in direct competition with already established, affiliated franchised dealers.

Last year”™s Senate Bill 3, aimed at allowing Tesla to move ahead with its own Connecticut-based dealerships and sponsored by state Sen. Bob Duff (D-Norwalk), failed to reach a vote before the legislative session ended.

Most major automakers ”” including General Motors, Ford, Volkswagen, Toyota and BMW ”” sell electric vehicles as well, but on authorized dealers”™ lots next to purely gas-powered vehicles.

Ratcheting up pressure to pass SB3, on May 2 of last year Tesla said it would open a regional distribution center in Connecticut if the bill was passed, promising that the facility would add more than 150 jobs on top of the 25 jobs per store that the company had already said would result from the bill”™s passage. All told, the automaker said it would create 275 new jobs in the state, with salaries ranging from $40,000-$100,000.

Tesla could not be reached for comment about the new action, or whether the regional distribution center was still being offered.