Electronic vehicle manufacturer Rivian says an Ohio law that bars direct car sales, except for Tesla, violates consumers' rights.

Rivian is suing Ohio's DMV over a ban on direct car sales that has a carveout that lets Tesla sell cars in the state.

Ohio has banned direct-to-consumer sales since 2014, yet Tesla is allowed to sell here. Rivian says that that ain't fair.

Rivian's suit calls the prohibition “irrational in the extreme,” saying it reduces EV competition and inconveniences buyers who must complete transactions across state lines.

In a lawsuit filed Aug. 4, Rivian argues the direct-sales ban is unconstitutional and stifles competition by shielding Ohio’s franchised auto dealers from new market entrants. “The State of Ohio has no legitimate interest in blocking its citizens from purchasing vehicles through a Rivian-owned dealer-license location in Ohio,” the lawsuit said.

The automaker is challenging the state’s partial ban on direct sales, arguing that it favors some companies — like Tesla — over others.

Allowing Rivian to sell directly would not be treading new legal ground, the company argues in its complaint. Tesla has had a license to sell in Ohio since 2013 and can sell direc