Share on Twitter Electric Vehicles (EVs) have become much more common in the last two decades. Tesla has been the leader in EVs for most of that time, and did it with a direct-to-customer sales model. Though there are plenty of Teslas registered in Louisiana, not one of them was sold as new in the state because of the state's ban on the company's sales model. Louisiana's Direct Sales Ban Turns to Legal Battle In 2017 then then-Governor Edwards signed a law that completely demolished the possibility of Tesla opening one of their unique stores and showrooms in the state. Louisiana law makes it so that factory-fresh vehicle sales are done through franchised dealerships, so a standard Ford F-150 would be built by Ford, then sold and shipped to the dealership, and then sold by the dealership. Tesla Officially Opens Gruenheide Gigafactory Photo by Christian Marquardt/Getty Images Get our free mobile app Tesla's model just takes the dealership step out, running their own dealerships, so all of the sales profit can go straight to the manufacturer. Because Louisiana's law prevents Elon Musk's EV company from selling in the Bayou State, the company has challenged the law before and has been smacked down by the state's court. In 2022, Tesla sued select members of the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission and alleged that Tesla had not been granted due process because those members of the commission are involved with Tesla's competitors. Louisiana made a petition to the Supreme Court to have the revived case thrown out, but the Court is now refusing to do anything with the case. The Legal Battle Continues: A Path to Shreveport Tesla Showrooms? With the Supreme Court declining to step in, Tesla will have a chance to sue the LMVC board members they allege are standing in the way of the EV company's possible sales in Louisiana. Tesla hasn't won yet, the lawsuits have yet to resume, but if the company can win the case, it could open the doors to Tesla showrooms in cities like Shreveport. Tesla in Niagara Falls