Tesla Model Y becomes the third best selling car in Australia

The leading electric car maker had a record month in September, driven by the popularity of its new Model Y SUV, which attracted thousands of buyers.

Tesla has delivered an electric shock to the car industry, posting a monthly sales record on the back of the surging popularity of its Model Y SUV.

The Model Y was the number one selling SUV in the country last month, outselling popular models including Toyota’s RAV4 and Mazda’s CX-5 with 4359 sales.

Strong sales of its Model 3sedan meant Tesla’s 5969 sales eclipsed established brands such as Volkswagen, Subaru, Nissan and Honda.

The result, released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, is a little misleading because Tesla has been sitting on a backlog of orders for some months, due to supply issues from its Shanghai factory, which was shut down due to Covid.

Of the 14,023 cars it has sold this year, more than 9000 were sold in August and September alone.

Tesla’s Model Y was the best-selling SUV in the country in September. Picture: Thomas Wielecki.

Shipping constraints will hamper its sales for the rest of the year but it is still expected to top the 20,000 mark, a stunning result given the Model Y retails for more than $75,000.

FCAI chief executive Tony Weber said the result signalled that a growing number of Australians were committed to decarbonising their transport choices.

“During September 2022, 7247 battery electric vehicles were sold, more than hybrid and plug-in-hybrid combined (5141). Year to date, 21,771 battery electric vehicles have been sold. While the overall market share of battery electric vehicles remains low (2.7 per cent), there is a clear market trend towards zero emission technology,” Mr Weber said.

Electric car sales surged last month. Picture: Thomas Wielecki.

The booming sales come just a week after the Federal Government released a discussion paper on fast-tracking EV adoption in Australia.

But Mr Weber said the policy needed “to be developed within the context of vehicle price, model availability and battery supply and supported through the roll out of charging infrastructure and consumer incentives”.

While Tesla’s success highlights a growing appetite for electric vehicles, diesel-powered utes continue to dominate new-car sales.

The Toyota HiLux remains the number one selling vehicle in the country, followed by the Ford Ranger. The Mitsubishi Triton and Isuzu D-Max utes finished fifth and sixth on the September sales charts.

The Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger continue to dominate the sales charts. Picture: Supplied.

Australians continue to embrace Chinese brands as mainstream marques become more expensive, drifting out of the reach of budget buyers.

For the first time in history, Chinese-made vehicles outsold Korean vehicles in September.

Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3 are both made in China, while brands such as MG, LDV, Haval and Great Motors are making big inroads into the market.

MG is the seventh best selling brand this year, ahead of Subaru and Volkswagen.

In good news for buyers, supply of new cars seems to be freeing up after months of crippling supply problems caused by a shortage of semiconductors.

Sales in September were up by more than 12 per cent over the same month last year.

Mr Weber said the positive signs needed to be treated with caution, as logistic and supply chain issues remained.

Sales in NSW were up by 20.8 per cent, while Victorian sales surged by 23.8 per cent. Sales were slower in other states. Queensland recorded modest growth, while the market declined in Western Australia and South Australia.

Originally published as Tesla Model Y becomes the third best selling car in Australia