Bill to allow direct electric vehicle sales in SC appears dead

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A South Carolina bill that would have allowed electric vehicle manufacturers to sell directly to consumers has stalled in the legislature, and may be done for this legislative session. 

Lawmakers voted Wednesday to adjourn debate on the measure, effectively ending any further discussion . The bill, known as the South Carolina Consumer Freedom Act, would have allowed automakers without prior franchise agreements in the state to bypass traditional dealerships and sell directly to customers. It also would have permitted manufacturers to operate their own service centers.

Supporters of the bill, including representatives from Scout Motors and Tesla, argued that it would increase consumer choice and help South Carolina compete with other states.

“The real tragedy here would be if the men and women working in Blythewood manufacturing SCOUT vehicles can’t buy the products they are making in this state,” said Cody Thacker, the Vice President of Commercial Operations for Scout Motors. The company is currently building a plant in Richland County that will manufacture electric trucks and SUVs.

Scout is currently building a plan in Richland County just off Interstate 77 that will make trucks and SUVs that don’t run on gas. But when the plant’s built, Scout won’t be able to sell their vehicles straight to customers. 

Thacker  said South Carolina is behind other states when it comes to direct EV sales.

“We want freedom for consumers.,” Thacker said. “We want consumers to be able to buy the vehicle they want and to buy it how they want,” he said.

However, car dealership franchise owners strongly opposed the bill, arguing it would give electric vehicle manufacturers an unfair advantage, and that the electric carmakers knew the law before they decided to come to the state. 

“Asking us to change our laws here in South Carolina to better accommodate their preference to retail cars directly doesn’t sit well with me or my 150 employees in Greenville that count on the franchise dealer model to remain viable for our livelihoods,” said Mark White, who owns Steve White Auto Group in the Upstate. 

State Rep. Chris Wooten (R-Lexington) said he had concerns about the bill’s potential impact on dealership jobs, and told News19 the bill is likely dead. 

“Most people in the room voted for Scout Motors to come here with the premonition and with the excitement of creating 4,000 new jobs,” Wooten said. “But what hasn’t been discussed is that there are 18,000 jobs that the dealers in South Carolina create. So are we exchanging jobs or are we creating new jobs?”

With the committee voting to adjourn debate, the bill will not move forward. However, lawmakers noted that a similar measure could be reintroduced at any time.