[AleCS]

Got a letter from Rivian saying:

"Currently, Washington state laws limit access to electric vehicles by preventing new automakers, like Rivian, from opening local retail sites. We need your help to change that.

Rivian is supporting a bill in the Washington legislature, HB 1388, that would allow all electric vehicle manufacturers to obtain a state dealer license directly. The adoption of HB 1388 would allow Rivian to open retail sites and sell vehicles directly to our community. If HB 1388 doesn't pass, our community members will be forced to purchase online or travel to another state."

If you live in WA State and want your Rivian delivered locally and have a sales representation here, just like Tesla has, please go online and follow this steps!

1. Go to this website: https://app.leg.wa.gov/CSIRemote/House
2. On Committee, select “Consumer Protection & Business”
3. On Meetings, select “2/10/2021 8:00 AM”
4. Under Select Agenda Item, click the circle next to “HB 1388 Motor vehicle sales”
5. A dropdown menu with three options will appear “Select type of testimony”
6. Select “I would like my position noted for the legislative record”
7. Select “PRO”, enter your information and submit.

To learn more about direct sales, please read this fact sheet by Plug In America.

 

[Rivilettes]

Got a letter from Rivian saying:
"Currently, Washington state laws limit access to electric vehicles by preventing new automakers, like Rivian, from opening local retail sites. We need your help to change that.
..

Done. Thanks for the note!

 

[windrider]

Done. Thanks for the detailed steps for registering my position!

Got a letter from Rivian saying:

"Currently, Washington state laws limit access to electric vehicles by preventing new automakers, like Rivian, from opening local retail sites. We need your help to change that.

Rivian is supporting a bill in the Washington legislature, HB 1388, that would allow all electric vehicle manufacturers to obtain a state dealer license directly. The adoption of HB 1388 would allow Rivian to open retail sites and sell vehicles directly to our community. If HB 1388 doesn't pass, our community members will be forced to purchase online or travel to another state."

If you live in WA State and want your Rivian delivered locally and have a sales representation here, just like Tesla has, please go online and follow this steps!

1. Go to this website: https://app.leg.wa.gov/CSIRemote/House
2. On Committee, select “Consumer Protection & Business”
3. On Meetings, select “2/10/2021 8:00 AM”
4. Under Select Agenda Item, click the circle next to “HB 1388 Motor vehicle sales”
5. A dropdown menu with three options will appear “Select type of testimony”
6. Select “I would like my position noted for the legislative record”
7. Select “PRO”, enter your information and submit.

To learn more about direct sales, please read this fact sheet by Plug In America.

 

[eHauler]

Welcome to the forum @AleCS, @Rivilettes and @windrider! It was suggested by @timesinks in another thread that writing to local lawmakers and sharing your opinion with them is another great way to move this forward. Would you guys do that? What are you delivery dates? It could make this show up on a ballot even sooner than when you expect to take delivery.

As another Washington resident, I would implore you to not passively wait for this to show up on some ballot (it's not a ballot measure). Instead, write your lawmakers and share your opinion with them. This form will let you look them up with your address and express your support in favor. Last year, the bill never made it out of committee.

(including @inkedsphynx, another WA member)

 

[AleCS]

Welcome to the forum @AleCS, @Rivilettes and @windrider! It was suggested by @timesinks in another thread that writing to local lawmakers and sharing your opinion with them is another great way to move this forward. Would you guys do that? What are you delivery dates? It could make this show up on a ballot even sooner than when you expect to take delivery.

(including @inkedsphynx, another WA member)

Thanks!!! I have filled the form. I hope many more do the same! 💪🏼

 

[Iptv65]

Got a letter from Rivian saying:

"Currently, Washington state laws limit access to electric vehicles by preventing new automakers, like Rivian, from opening local retail sites. We need your help to change that.

Rivian is supporting a bill in the Washington legislature, HB 1388, that would allow all electric vehicle manufacturers to obtain a state dealer license directly. The adoption of HB 1388 would allow Rivian to open retail sites and sell vehicles directly to our community. If HB 1388 doesn't pass, our community members will be forced to purchase online or travel to another state."

If you live in WA State and want your Rivian delivered locally and have a sales representation here, just like Tesla has, please go online and follow this steps!

1. Go to this website: https://app.leg.wa.gov/CSIRemote/House
2. On Committee, select “Consumer Protection & Business”
3. On Meetings, select “2/10/2021 8:00 AM”
4. Under Select Agenda Item, click the circle next to “HB 1388 Motor vehicle sales”
5. A dropdown menu with three options will appear “Select type of testimony”
6. Select “I would like my position noted for the legislative record”
7. Select “PRO”, enter your information and submit.

To learn more about direct sales, please read this fact sheet by Plug In America.

Done! Thanks for the heads up.

 

[inkedsphynx]

I've filled the form in and last week left a message with my representative. I'd encourage everyone else to call their reps too - helps to push with an active voice.

 

[stephencs]

I sent a message to both my senator and representatives about the bill. Pretty easy to send it to all of them through the website, since you can just tell it to CC your representatives.

 

[swj99352]

I just did the same. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[inkedsphynx]

Lots of us in WA. We should plan a meetup once deliveries have been ongoing for a bit (and we aren't dealing with other barriers to socializing).

 

[AleCS]

Lots of us in WA. We should plan a meetup once deliveries have been ongoing for a bit (and we aren't dealing with other barriers to socializing).

I’m in! We should do that. Is there a FB group for Rivian in WA? Should we create one?

 

[stephencs]

Lots of us in WA. We should plan a meetup once deliveries have been ongoing for a bit (and we aren't dealing with other barriers to socializing).

Sounds like fun once everything has settled down. I'll be super curious as to what trails and FSRs people end up taking their Rivians up.

 

[inkedsphynx]

I’m in! We should do that. Is there a FB group for Rivian in WA? Should we create one?

I don't use facebook, unfortunately. I'm not sure what other good options are out there for organizing something like that. Worst case we could probably suffice with a thread on these forums

 

[krivian]

I don't use facebook, unfortunately. I'm not sure what other good options are out there for organizing something like that. Worst case we could probably suffice with a thread on these forums

same here. Dont use FB anymore. Its a great idea WAers to meet up.

 

[AleCS]

same here. Dont use FB anymore. Its a great idea WAers to meet up.

I wonder if we can create a State by State pages here in the forum.

 

[stephencs]

I wonder if we can create a State by State pages here in the forum.

That seems like a reasonable idea. Might not be as discoverable as a Facebook group, but then you wouldn't need a FB account. Wonder how many Washington folks there are on the forum.

 

[AleCS]

Take a look at the hearing yesterday that will or will not allow Rivian to sell directly to WA State consumers. It's a lenghty video, but you can see how many people representing certain groups, support or reject the bill.

If you fast forward to 1:19:30 you will see Rivian's representative, James Chen, VP Corp Policy, talk about Rivian's position on this bill. There are two interactions here, so keep watching until you see the follow up question and answer from Rivian.

Legislators steer Washington state toward direct electric vehicle sales, bypassing auto dealers

A bill working its way through the Washington state House would allow makers of electric vehicles (EVs) to sell direct to the public without involving an auto dealer. The bill – HB 1388 – would permit…

www.geekwire.com

 

[stephencs]

Take a look at the hearing yesterday that will or will not allow Rivian to sell directly to WA State consumers. It's a lenghty video, but you can see how many people representing certain groups, support or reject the bill.

If you fast forward to 1:19:30 you will see Rivian's representative, James Chen, VP Corp Policy, talk about Rivian's position on this bill. There are two interactions here, so keep watching until you see the follow up question and answer from Rivian.

Legislators steer Washington state toward direct electric vehicle sales, bypassing auto dealers

A bill working its way through the Washington state House would allow makers of electric vehicles (EVs) to sell direct to the public without involving an auto dealer. The bill – HB 1388 – would permit…

www.geekwire.com

Yeah, I watched the hearing yesterday and I was honestly not super impressed with Rivian's responses. It seemed like a poor choice to try and say that you can't do OTA updates if you sell through a franchise. I was happy to see Tesla out in support of the bill though, since it is likely in their best interest that it fail.

Was really telling that there was not a single consumer speaking out against the bill. Still don't have super high hopes that it will pass regardless. The car dealerships are pretty buddy-buddy with the congresspeople.

 

[AleCS]

Yeah, I watched the hearing yesterday and I was honestly not super impressed with Rivian's responses. It seemed like a poor choice to try and say that you can't do OTA updates if you sell through a franchise. I was happy to see Tesla out in support of the bill though, since it is likely in their best interest that it fail.

Was really telling that there was not a single consumer speaking out against the bill. Still don't have super high hopes that it will pass regardless. The car dealerships are pretty buddy-buddy with the congresspeople.

I was pleased though to see the Chairman trying to find a win-win solution. It was funny to hear his son bought a Tesla and “everything went ok” with the purchase. Lol.

 

[swj99352]

I was able to watch this today. As I watched I was torn between wanting to gag at the franchisee's whining and cheering the EV reps. It's hard to gauge what will happen but I agree with stephencs, the local dealers have a huge amount of money to throw around and thus a huge amount of influence with the legislators.