AB 439

Under current law, a motor vehicle dealer must be licensed by the Department

of Transportation. Also under current law, a manufacturer of motor vehicles may not

operate or control a motor vehicle dealership. Under this bill, a manufacturer of

electric motor vehicles may engage in the business of a motor vehicle dealer with

regard to the electric motor vehicles it manufactures.

Also under current law, with several exceptions, a manufacturer, importer, or

distributor may not perform warranty service or delivery and preparation work on

a motor vehicle that it does not own or authorize or permit a person to perform

warranty service or delivery and preparation work on a motor vehicle unless the

person is a motor vehicle dealer with whom the manufacturer, importer, or

distributor has entered into a franchise agreement for the sale and service of the

manufacturer's, importer's, or distributor's motor vehicles. Under the bill, this

prohibition does not apply to a manufacturer of electric motor vehicles with regard

to the electric motor vehicles it manufactures.