The Tesla Model Y electric car was the third-best-selling vehicle of any type in Australia in September in a market where overall sales were up 12.3 per cent compared with the same month a year ago, as tradies also kept buying up powerful utes.

The Tesla Model Y notched sales of 4359 last month to be just behind the Ford Ranger ute with sales of 4890, and the market leader, the Toyota HiLux ute, with 5170. Buyers are not holding back despite six consecutive months of interest rate rises by the Reserve Bank of Australia as it tries to curb inflation.