Fwd: Big step forward on ZEV direct sales—please sign in PRO on SB 6354

[Grace Reamer]

Some good news from Olympia!

Begin forwarded message:

From: Molly Keenan <mo...@mkpublicaffairs.com>
Date: February 23, 2026 at 5:14:55 PM PST
To: Molly Keenan <mo...@mkpublicaffairs.com>
Cc: Abigail Ramsden <abigail...@rivian.com>
Subject: Big step forward on ZEV direct sales—please sign in PRO on SB 6354



Washington Clean Car Choice Coalition Members and Friends;

 

I’m writing with exciting news: after many years of unsuccessful attempts to update Washington’s direct sales laws, Rivian and the Washington State Auto Dealers Association have reached an agreement on a path forward to expand direct sales for zero-emission vehicle-only manufacturers Rivian and Lucid. Thank you all of you who have been showing up publicly and to those who have supported quietly behind the scenes. We’re deeply grateful for your persistence, partnership, and steady advocacy over the years—for the time you’ve invested, the conversations you’ve helped move forward, and the credibility you’ve brought to this effort.

 

The bill, SB 6354, will be heard by the Washington State Senate Transportation Committee on Tuesday, February 24.

 

What SB 6354 does:

SB 6354 creates a pathway for established ZEV-only manufacturers to obtain Washington dealer licenses and sell directly to consumers, provided they operate an in-state service facility and have at least 300 vehicles registered to Washington residents before January 1, 2026.

 

How you can help: 1-minute sign-in to register support (no testimony required)

While this agreement has meaningful support in the Washington State Legislature, we also want committee members to understand how many organizations support expanding zero-emission vehicle purchasing options for consumers. We hope you sign-in to register support the legislation.

 

By Tuesday afternoon (2/24), please take one minute to sign in PRO for SB 6354. Your voice matters.

 

How to sign in (quick steps):

1. Click Here for the Committee sign-in page for SB 6354
2. Choose “Pro” from the Position dropdown
3. Fill in the required fields
4. Click “Submit Registration”

 

Thanks for adding your voice and joining Washingtonians across in support of expanding direct sales! 

 

In gratitude,

Molly Keenan on behalf of Rivian and the Washington Clean Car Choice Coalition

 

 

 

 

[Emerald City Rivian Club]

Very excited to see this move to the House Transportation committee! It’ll be heard on Thursday Mar 5th. 

David Cottrell
Emerald City Rivian Club
www.emeraldcityrivianclub.com

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[Grace Reamer]

Thanks for the heads up from David! Here are details:

Senate Bill 6354 - EV Direct Sales. Sponsors Sens. Liias and King. Allows direct sales of BEVs by Rivian and Lucid, and requires in-state service centers and dealers licenses. An amendment added in the Senate Transportation Committee institutes a fine of $10,000 for each sale or lease of a vehicle made by an unlicensed manufacturer in the state. The bill passed the full Senate on March 3 by a vote of 46-3 (voting nay were Sens. Hasegawa, Lovelett and Trudeau, all Democrats). Public hearing scheduled at 8 a.m. on Thursday, March 5 in the House Transportation Committee.Read the amended text here. Recommendation: SUPPORT. Sign up to testify or register your position here.

After five years of effort, this is the closest we have come to getting direct sales (albeit very limited) in Washington! 

Grace

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/SEVA_list/CABDmQOQ0FvFKApDS16FfCsPqV2Tvir99hEVXURGXNVXmD_%3DrLw%40mail.gmail.com.

[Paul G.]

So, is this new proposed law going to screw over Slate and any other new EV offerings? Slate doesn't expect any sales until late 2026. How does one buy an EV from any of the manufacturers that don't have a WA dealership, since in theory we don’t allow direct auto sales? Do you just buy online and then somehow delivery and registration is arranged? That’s WA, promote EVs with one hand, slap them with the other. 

<https://www.geekwire.com/2026/washington-is-primed-to-let-rivian-and-lucid-sell-evs-directly-to-consumers/>

<https://www.slate.auto/en>

Paul G. 



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[Grace Reamer]

Paul is correct that this legislation is very limited in allowing only Lucid and Rivian to join Tesla in providing direct EV sales in Washington. As we all know, efforts have been ongoing for more than five years to get Olympia to allow direct sales in Washington, but the very powerful auto dealers association has been able to shut down all those attempts. This very limited compromise was negotiated by Rivian with the auto dealers and represents the biggest step forward in modernizing auto sales here. Yes, the legislation will need to be modified in the future as other EV manufacturers offer new models. But this bill can set a very positive precedent for that to happen - maybe next year. In the meantime, new manufacturers such as Slate still can establish showrooms and service centers in Washington - just as Rivian and Lucid have been doing. And they can offer test drives, too. Ordering and purchasing are done online, and vehicles often are delivered to the customer’s residence. If this bill proves successful, it can become a good incentive to expand direct sales to other EV makers.

Thanks for keeping the dialogue going on this important issue. We have more work to do!

Grace

On Mar 4, 2026, at 8:52 AM, 'Paul G.' via SEVA Email List <SEVA...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

So, is this new proposed law going to screw over Slate and any other new EV offerings? Slate doesn't expect any sales until late 2026. How does one buy an EV from any of the manufacturers that don't have a WA dealership, since in theory we don’t allow direct auto sales? Do you just buy online and then somehow delivery and registration is arranged? That’s WA, promote EVs with one hand, slap them with the other. 

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/SEVA_list/55F2A495-427A-4173-AE90-FAE332BCC02B%40comcast.net.