Perno and the other dealers — Liza Borches, president and CEO of Charlottesville-based Carter Myers Automotive Group, and Gardner Britt, general manager of Ted Britt Ford in Fairfax — said they believe the public interest would be served best if the company used independent dealers.

Six Virginia residents who own Tesla cars also testified Monday in support of allowing the company to open its own store in the Richmond area.

Tesla has high customer satisfaction ratings, and customers do not have to worry about haggling over the price, said Jonathan Fair, a Prince William County resident who bought a Tesla car last year.

“I am sure they (Tesla) have room for improvement, but I am not sure how dealerships can put themselves above the level that Tesla has set,” Fair said.

Tesla, founded by tech industry tycoon Elon Musk, first gained notoriety for its premium-priced electric cars. The company saw a surge in customer orders recently after it announced its more moderately priced Model 3, which has a starting price of $35,000.

Tesla sells its cars online, but the company has run into resistance trying to open retail stores in some states because of laws aimed at keeping the retail side of the business under the control of local owners.