If you think you’ve been seeing a lot of Teslas on the road lately, well you’re not wrong. The innovative electric carmaker created quite a stir in January this year when its Model 3 claimed third place on the Australian sales rankings with 2,927 sales.
That’s still some way short of the market leader, the Ford Ranger’s 4,749, but it’s a remarkable achievement for an electric sedan with a price tag north of $60,000. And the model 3 is not the only Tesla occupying a space in the top 10, because its new Model Y also held down ninth place with 3,313 sales.
However, some of those strong sales numbers are undoubtedly due to shipping delays that saw deliveries due in 2022 delayed until January 2023. Nevertheless, Tesla is on a roll in the Australian market, a testament to the rising popularity of electric vehicles and Tesla’s investment in its extensive charging infrastructure.
Clearly the American company’s strong brand image, innovative technology and commitment to sustainability is striking a chord with an increasing number of Australian car buyers. For now, it remains the only electric vehicle maker among the top 10 selling vehicles in an Australian market dominated by SUVs and utes.
Electric vehicle sales are on the rise in Australia, making up 5.7 per cent of the new vehicle market, or 4,852 sales in January. Within the market for electric vehicles right now there’s daylight between Tesla and the rest. January’s combined sales of Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y – 3,313, dwarfs third place finisher the BYD Atto 3’s 267 sales.
If there’s one thing holding back electric vehicle sales it’s still price, with even the cheapest models, like the BYD Atto 3 still around double the price of a comparable internal combustion vehicle.
Given Tesla’s market dominance, the thought of the sales figures it could achieve with a truly affordable model is enough to have the CEOs of other carmakers muttering dark curses into their whisky glasses everywhere. And the bad news for them is that Tesla has one in the pipeline. Its intention is to produce a small car at approximately half the price of its Model 3 or Model Y.
“It will, I think... certainly exceed the production of all our other vehicles combined,” Elon Musk said.
That’s an exciting prospect for many would be EV owners, but even by Elon Musk’s own admission, its development is a long way off.
At any rate, Tesla won’t have the market to itself because the price of electric vehicles is coming down with a number of Chinese carmakers jostling for the market. But if you’re in the market for an EV then that higher purchase price really shouldn’t put you off, because the Australian Government has just come up with a raft of tax measures to make obtaining an EV through a money-saving novated lease a LOT cheaper than you might have thought.
Right now Fleetcare is offering novated leases on electric vehicles at weekly rates that are guaranteed to surprise you. So whether it’s the top selling Tesla Model 3, the stylish Polestar 2, the fun BYS Atto 3, or the long range on offer from the Hyundai Kona Elite Electric, you’re sure to find a novated deal on an electric vehicle that perfectly matches your needs here at Fleetcare.