The Problem

In 2013, North Carolina was one of the frontline battle states for Tesla and their fight for direct sales against the auto dealers nationwide. The North Carolina Automobile Dealers Association filed a bill in 2013 to ban direct to consumer vehicle sales.The bill was filed in the State Senate and quickly passed through committees and a floor vote. Following Senate passage, Onorio was one of three new lobbyists added to the team alongside the Fetzer/Vick team. A lot of work was done to lobby all 120 members of the State House to combat the entrenched auto dealer lobby. Tesla even brought a Model S to display at the legislature and allowed test drives including then Governor Pat McCrory and then-Speaker Thom Tillis. Eventually, the bill stalled in the House and Tesla would have a reprieve for a few years before its next battle in North Carolina.