Thursday 7 December, the Missouri Court of Appeals has overturned last year verdict to ban Tesla from getting a license in Missouri’s State. Musk’s company was forced to close all stores in the state after the Missouri Automobile Dealers Association (MADA) tried to have Tesla’s dealer license revoked. Tesla can now resume selling cars directly to consumers: “We have been serving customers in Missouri for almost five years and have contributed to the state economy and jobs for Missourians, something that will now continue,” the company said in a statement.

The appeals court rejected the plaintiffs’ arguments that the MADA was entitled to challenge the issuance of licenses to Tesla, and the court point out that the association was effectively a Tesla rival trying to avoid competition and not looking after the public interest.

Tesla operates two stores and a service centre in Missouri (one in Kansas City and one in University City) and it can now sell EVs to customers again without having to go through third-party dealers.