Joel Aschbrenner

jaschbrenn@dmreg.com

Des Moines-area residents who want a test ride in a Tesla Model S will have their chance this weekend.

Iowa is one of a growing number of states where regulators have banned Tesla Motors from setting up dealerships and test drive events, citing laws that prohibit car-makers from selling directly to the public.

But a group of Tesla owners think they have found a work-around. Three Minneapolis-area residents are bringing their Teslas to metro Des Moines to allow individuals to ride or drive the high-end electric vehicles.

"We're not selling anything," said Eric Jackson, a chemical engineer from Hastings, Minn. "We're just showing people they have a choice."

The first-come, first-served event is at the electric vehicle charging station at the Urbandale Hy-Vee, 8710 Douglas Ave.

One Model S will be available for test rides from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday. At least three will be available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Jackson said he is only offering rides in the passenger seat, but one of the owners is going to let people drive her Model S.

Iowa is one of several states, including Arizona, New Jersey, Maryland, Texas and Virginia, that have banned or restricted Tesla from selling to the public.

Michigan enacted a law Tuesday that explicitly requires automakers to sell through a network of franchise dealerships — rather than directly to buyers.

The issue arose in Iowa last month when Tesla Motors set up a tent in the parking lot of the West Des Moines Marriott with plans to offer test drives for three days.

After the second day, the Iowa Department of Transportation asked Tesla to stop.

DOT officials said Tesla was violating two state laws: Automakers can't sell directly to the public and car dealers must be licensed through the state.

It's still legal for Iowans to buy a Tesla directly from the company online, state regulators said.

But the test drive ban means Iowans must travel to a Tesla Motors dealership in Chicago, Minneapolis or a handful of other cities to get behind the wheel.

Jackson, who is part of a Tesla owners club in Minneapolis, said members of his group plan to drive to Michigan in the spring to offer test rides. Tesla owners in other parts of the country have expressed interest in hosting similar events in other states where Tesla has been barred.

"I think this is going to be a grassroots thing and I think it's going to take off," he said. "This is a democratic thing. People want to have a choice and if you don't want to buy from a dealer, you should have a choice."

Paul Steier, director of the DOT's Bureau of Investigation and Identity Protection, said the individual Tesla owners offering test rides aren't violating any state laws as long as they are not employed or commissioned by Tesla Motors.

The Model S can cover more than 300 miles on a single charge and offers horsepower that rivals gas sports cars.

"I work with scientists and engineers every day, but this technology still blows me away," Jackson said. "I think it's a game-changer."

But it comes at a price: the Model S starts around $71,000.

A cheaper Tesla, the Model 3, is expected to roll out in 2017, starting around $35,000.

Steier said he doesn't expect much lobbying to change the law banning Tesla's direct sales until the price drops and the cars become attainable by the wider public.

"We're not getting many calls from legislators asking if it should be changed," he said. "My guess is it will come down to if the public is really that adamant about it, that they will talk to their legislators."