Rivian didn’t just win a fight in Washington this week when it was granted the right to sell cars directly to consumers. It might have started a war that will leave dealer groups across America far less powerful and profitable 10 or 15 years from now.
After years of getting blocked by dealer laws in Washington state, the EV startup pushed hard enough that the opposition simply stepped aside. The turning point came when Rivian threatened to take the issue to voters, a gamble that could have cost it up to $30 million. Faced with an expensive ballot battle, dealer groups backed off and supported a narrow law letting Rivian and Lucid – but no other brands – sell directly.
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