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Committee hears bill to bar manufacturers from forcing dealers to take electric vehicles
Summary
A House Transportation Committee hearing on House Bill 550 drew testimony from the bill sponsor and the auto-industry trade group Alliance for Automotive Innovation. The bill would prohibit manufacturers from coercing Montana dealers to accept electric vehicles (EVs) or plug‑in hybrids; no vote was taken at the hearing.
Representative Randon Gregg (R), sponsor of House Bill 550, told the House Transportation Committee the bill is intended to “protect the autonomy of Montana's automobile dealers” by preventing manufacturers from coercing dealers into accepting electric vehicles or plug‑in hybrids.
Gregg said data supplied with the bill shows EVs remain on dealer lots longer than other vehicles: "As of July 24, 2024, EVs remained on dealer lots for an average of 81 [days], a 75% increase from the previous year," and he cited a November 2024 report noting a 114‑day supply of new EVs for dealers compared with a 71‑day supply for all vehicles. He added that a 60‑day supply is historically considered ideal and that some models — cited in testimony as the Ford Mach‑E — have averaged 204 days on lots.
The bill’s sponsor said the measure does not prohibit…
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