Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen receives Tesla 3 early

An unearthed email chain has revealed how Chris Bowen got a Tesla 3 before the highly sought-after EV was added to the list of taxpayer-funded vehicles for Canberra’s ruling class.

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen doggedly pursued a taxplayer-funded Tesla Model 3, even after he was told the Elon Musk marvel wasn’t yet on the standard list of car options for federal politicians.

Mr Bowen’s pursuit of the high-quality electric vehicle is detailed in emails obtained by the Daily Telegraph under freedom of information laws.

In January this year, the office of Mr Bowen – who was then Shadow Minister – asked the Department of Finance about the process for early termination of the lease on his petrol-guzzling Mazda CX-9 car so he could get a Tesla Model 3 instead.

An email exchange obtained by The Daily Telegraph under FOI shows he was told the Model 3 wasn’t on the existing list of choices for parliamentarians. The list was being updated and that Tesla was being added.

No time frame was given.

“However,” he was advised, “there are also some other electric vehicles currently on there,” including a Hyundai Ioniq.

Labor’s climate and energy spokesman Chris Bowen with his new Tesla Model 3.

Mr Bowen’s office replied that he “would like to move forward with early termination, and … for your … information, he intends to order a Tesla 3.”

Arguably, Mr Bowen’s efforts to obtain a free Tesla are entirely consistent with his ongoing quest to ensure as many Australians have access to high-quality EVs as soon as possible – and at the lowest cost.

Mr Bowen’s office told The Telegraph that after receiving the departmental advice, it made a written request to the then Finance Minister Simon Birmingham for a “non-standard vehicle”.

Under the department’s rules, such a “request must detail the workplace health and safety, or other factors, which mean that the provision of the non-standard vehicle is appropriate in (the) circumstances.”

His office initially indicated it could provide a copy of the non-standard vehicle request, but later clarified that IT changes as part of coming into government meant no-one had access to the record.

Senator Birmingham’s office has said it no longer had access to any such paperwork because he wasn’t in government any more.

Mr Bowen‘s office wrote to then-finance minister Simon Birmingham over the Tesla.

Mr Bowen took delivery of his car in February.

It appears Mr Bowen pursued the “other factors” argument in his non-standard vehicle request.

On Tuesday, Finance said the application was approved because “the Tesla Model 3 was being placed on the standard list”. That occurred in September. Mr Bowen took delivery of his car in February.

The Department would not provide any more information.

Mr Bowen’s spokeswoman said “as per the guidelines, MPs are able to seek approval for vehicles not on the (standard) list, where their price point is below the luxury car tax threshold.”

EVs have a much higher luxury car tax threshold than other vehicles.

The spokeswoman said the “approval was provided by the government of the day, as it would have been done for Liberal MP’s like Katie Allen.”

Dr Allen lost her seat at the May election and did not have any elevated involvement in climate or energy policy.

The email exchange with Finance shows Mr Bowen was advised that an early termination of his CX-9 lease would see him have to pay a fee of $500 plus any “additional expense the Commonwealth … incurred” if the vehicle sold for less than its “residual value” of $28,350.

Mr Bowen’s office responded to Finance that he accepted these conditions. It’s understood there was no additional expense for the Commonwealth.