Tesla opened its first store in Kentucky in June 2025. The location is 11701 Gateworth Way, Middletown, near Louisville. This is the first time Kentucky residents can buy Tesla cars directly in their own state instead of traveling to Cincinnati.
The Louisville store sells all Tesla models including the Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, and the Cybertruck. You can buy, lease, test drive, and get service for these vehicles at this location. A Tesla sales advisor said the store sells between 15 and 25 cars each day since opening. Before this, people from Kentucky had to go out of state for a direct Tesla purchase.
Kentucky law usually does not allow car makers to own dealerships. There is an exception if no existing dealers can meet public demand. Tesla got this special license from the Kentucky Motor Vehicle Commission last year so it could open the store. The store operated as a service center before becoming a full sales location.
Tesla also wants to set up a gallery in Lexington at Fayette Mall. This gallery will let people look at cars and talk to staff, but the company can’t sell cars there without a separate license. Tesla is hiring new staff members for the Lexington site, including a gallery manager.
Tesla’s Kentucky presence might help more people switch to electric cars. Kentucky is near the bottom in national electric vehicle adoption rates, with around 11,600 Tesla sales in 2023. People in southern states are more hesitant to try electric cars, and many worry about charging and driving range.
The company’s direct-to-consumer model often faces legal challenges, but this store marks progress for Tesla in the state.
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