A Tesla showroom is coming to upstate NY. Here's the timeline

Edward Harris, Observer-Dispatch
·3 min read

The Oneida Indian Nation is partnering with Tesla to develop the first electric vehicle showroom in upstate New York, officials announced in a statement.

The Tesla showroom will be located on Oneida Indian Nation lands just off Exit 34 on the New York State Thruway and is expected to open by 2025 along with a new Maple Leaf Market and retail plaza.

The Oneida Indian Nation said the partnership is made possible by the terms of the 2013 Settlement Agreement

The Oneida Indian Nation is partnering with Tesla to develop the first electric vehicle showroom in upstate New York. This is an artist's rendering of the anticipated showroom.
The Oneida Indian Nation is partnering with Tesla to develop the first electric vehicle showroom in upstate New York. This is an artist's rendering of the anticipated showroom.

Under this historic, one-of-a-kind agreement, the Nation has paid more than $600 million to the state and the local counties in consideration for - among other things - New York's recognition of Oneida’s sovereign right to pursue responsible land use and economic development initiatives without interference.

“We are proud to expand access to EVs in Upstate New York,” said Oneida Indian Nation Representative and Oneida Nation Enterprises CEO Ray Halbritter, in a statement.

“This initiative and partnership with Tesla align with the Nation’s commitment to environmental stewardship, the constant diversification of our enterprises and warm hospitality for all who enter our ancestral homelands. As we look towards the future, we know that these guiding principles will serve as an anchor for the economic development required to sustain our region and the Oneida people for many generations to come.”

Increasing EV sales, services in New York

The Oneida Indian Nation, the State of New York, communities from across the state and countless environmental and civic organizations have emphasized the importance of increasing EV adoption and supporting direct-to-consumer EV sales in reducing emissions and dependence on fossil fuels.

Yet with limited purchasing options, adoption of EVs has significantly lagged in Upstate New York, officials said. With the ability to purchase and receive service for EVs on Oneida homelands in the heart of Upstate, the Nation’s new initiative will dramatically expand access for more than 6 million Upstate New Yorkers – one-third of the state’s population.

The sale of Tesla vehicles on Oneida Indian Nation land will generate funds that will be dedicated exclusively to supporting Oneida government programs and services for Nation members, with no loss of tax revenues whatsoever to local communities.

Pursuant to a 2020 Memorandum of Understanding between Oneida and the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance, Tesla will remit the State’s portion of its sales tax collections on all EVs sold to the Oneida Indian Nation, which will dedicate these funds exclusively to supporting Oneida government programs and services such as public safety, healthcare, education and environmental conservation. Tesla will continue to remit all county sales tax collections to the county where the buyer lives.

Additionally, the Nation and Tesla are already working closely together to expand Upstate New York’s EV charging infrastructure to support the region’s EV drivers as demand for these vehicles grows.

More charging stations for EV vehicles

Oneida and Tesla have agreed to add 16 additional Tesla Superchargers at two locations in the Oneida homelands in Verona, according to the statement. Tesla is also partnering with Oneida to install more than 120 Level 2 chargers across the Oneida homelands, including 12 each at the community center, administrative offices, and the elder center, as well as chargers dedicated to tribal residences.

“Tesla's partnership with the Oneida Indian Nation is an opportunity to make electric vehicles and charging infrastructure more accessible to Nation Members and the residents of Upstate New York,” said Rohan Patel, vice president, Public Policy and Business Development for Tesla in a statement.

“This partnership aligns with New York State's climate action council's scoping plan and will help the state meet its ambitious Electric Vehicle adoption goals. We are also excited to work with the Nation to foster top local talent through Tesla's workforce development programs which will specifically provide Members of the Oneida Indian Nation with opportunities to learn diverse skills which can lead to full-time careers at Tesla.”

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Tesla, Oneida Indian Nation partner on first upstate NY showroom