Gary Zhou 
Key Points
- 🚗 The Tesla Model Y is the top-selling passenger car in Australia.
- ⚡ Electric vehicles make up 8% of total car sales in Australia, with a 21% year-over-year increase.
- 📊 Plug-in hybrid and hybrid vehicles account for 18.3% of the market share.
- 🇦🇺 Tesla Model Y outsold other electric vehicles and diesel/gas passenger cars in Australia.
- 🚚 Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux were ahead of Model Y in sales in September.
- 🌏 The Tesla Model Y also performed well in New Zealand despite a drop in new vehicle registrations.
- 🚙 Tesla Model 3 was the second best-selling BEV in Australia.
- 📈 Australian car sales in September increased by 18% compared to the same month in 2022.
The Tesla Model Y topped passenger car sales in Australia. The Land Down Under has been smashing milestone after milestone in the pure battery electric vehicle (BEV) segment this year, with 65,000 BEVs sold year-to-date.
Electric vehicles made up 8% of total car sales in Australia last month, up 21% year-over-year. Meanwhile, plug-in hybrid and hybrid sales made up 18.3% market share.
Tesla Model Y outsold other battery electric vehicles and diesel/gas passenger cars in the Australian market. In September, Tesla sold 3,811 Model Y units behind the Ford Ranger and the Toyota Hilux. The EV manufacturer has sold a total of 23,457 Model Y units in Australia this year so far.
In New Zealand, the Tesla Model Y was also the top-selling all-electric crossover last month, despite a 26.5% year-on-year drop in the country’s new vehicle registrations. Tesla teased a revamp of its affordable electric crossover in China when Giga Shanghai launched a Tesla Model Y with new features.
Last month, the Tesla Model 3 was Australia’s second best-selling BEV, with approximately 1,366 units sold. The Driven calculated that Tesla has sold 14,540 Model 3 units this year. Tesla Model 3 Highland deliveries are expected to start in January 2024. In third place was BYD’s Atto 3 EV with 702 unit sales.
According to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) V-Facts, Australia sold 110,702 new cars in September, an 18% increase compared to the same month in 2022.
“The record result shows that Australian car buyers value a broad choice of vehicles in a range of price brackets that suit the family or business budget,” said FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber.
“Consumers have a choice of vehicles across 20 light vehicle segments – from small passenger cars through to larger utes – confirming Australia’s position as one of the most open and competitive new vehicle markets in the world.
“Our advice is that the supply of vehicles into Australia, including electric vehicles, continues to improve, so those consumers who want to buy a new vehicle should visit a dealer or manufacturer,” added Weber.
