The Charlotte City Council voted Monday to remove Tesla from its list of approved vehicle manufacturers for municipal purchases, citing safety concerns and public accountability. The 6-3 vote came as the city prepares to acquire 45 electric vehicles for government use.
Councilwoman LaWana Mayfield, who led the initiative, argued that Tesla's removal was a matter of due diligence and responsible spending of taxpayer money.
“When we are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars and putting our employees out in these vehicles, and we are using tax dollars to do it, we also have the opportunity to think about the investments we are making on behalf of our citizens,” Mayfield stated, as reported by WCNC.
Mayfield pointed to what she described as Tesla’s repeated involvement in lawsuits over safety issues. “It is not just the particular owner of this product,” she added, referencing Elon Musk, “it is the fact that this product has been in multiple lawsuits because of safety issues, and there are multiple concerns.”
Despite her claims, industry data indicates that Tesla vehicles have a strong safety track record, often outperforming other manufacturers in crash tests and recall statistics. This was part of the argument made by Councilman Ed Driggs, a Republican who voted against the motion.
“We already have Teslas in the fleet,” Driggs told WFAE. “If we have reasons that aren’t related to the cost and the performance of purchased items for excluding them, we’re setting a dangerous precedent.”
Democrat Dimple Ajmera and Republican Edwin Peacock also opposed the decision. Ajmera reportedly raised questions about whether the move was grounded in objective performance data or influenced by other motivations.
Following the vote, Tesla was dropped from a list that still includes vendors such as Chevrolet, Ford, Hyundai’s construction sector, and Alamo Rent-A-Car.
The decision has triggered debate over whether political views, including those surrounding Tesla CEO Elon Musk, are influencing procurement policy in Charlotte. As of press time, Tesla had not responded to Fox Business' request for comment.