Tesla in charge as sales hit record
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 established models including Toyota’s RAV4 and Mazda’s CX-5 with 4359 sales.
Strong sales of its Model 3 sedan meant the maker’s 5969 sales eclipsed established brands including 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.
Of the 14,023 cars it has sold this year, more than 9000 were sold in August and September alone.
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 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.
The booming sales come just a week after the Federal Government released a discussion paper on fast-tracking EV adoption in Australia.
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.