Tesla Model Y News

The Aussie EV switch is in full swing. Electric car sales have skyrocketed in Australia in 2026, and it has seen some record-breaking figures.  Electric cars outsold petrol- and diesel-powered cars individually for the first time in a single month in August 2026. EVs repeated that success in September 2026, but only bested petrol in October after diesel surged back ahead. Plenty of EVs have jumped up the sales charts in 2026, so here is a look at the 25 best-selling EVs through 10 months of the year. The Tesla Model Y is the best-selling EV in the world, and Australia is no exception.  The mid-size SUV is approaching the 40,000 sales mark for 2026, which is nearly 5000 more than the Toyota RAV4 (35,927) has managed. The BYD Sealion 7 claimed second place on this list with more than 22,000 units sold up to October 2026.  BYD’s mid-size SUV is the brand’s most successful model and has provided competition for the Model Y, boasting year-on-year growth of almost 130 per cent.  The Geely EX5 is currently sitting in third place at more than 14,500 sales, while the Zeekr 7X rounds out the top four with 12,241. The Jaecoo J5 EV is currently occupying fifth position (10,266), while the sixth-placed BYD Atto 2 small SUV (9126) is followed by the Tesla Model 3, which is one of only three sedans in the top 25.  Kia’s EV5 (5175) and EV3 (5045) SUV duo take up eighth and 10th spot, with the BYD Atto 3 sandwiched between the pair (5070).  The EV3 and EV5 have been crucial to Kia’s increased EV presence in Australia, because the rest of its electric line-up hasn't reached 1000 units sold collectively so far in 2026. The BYD Atto 1 became Australia’s cheapest new car on sale, currently available with a drive-away deal of $19,990 until December 15, 2026.  It's sold nearly 5000 examples up to October 2026. Geely’s EX2 hatchback is another ultra-affordable EV option, and hit the Australian market in August 2026, already proving popular with Aussie buyers.  The EX2 recently surpassed one million cumulative global sales in October 2026, and it has had a similar impact in Australia, already registering more than 4300 sales.  The MG4 Urban also joined the Australian market early in 2026 as a cheaper, front-wheel drive alternative to the MG4. MG has shifted 4233 examples of the MG4 Urban in 2026 so far, which is more than the BYD Dolphin (3894).  The BYD Seal is another electric sedan putting up competitive sales numbers, registering 4167 sales, as one of few sedan models to experience growth in 2026. Further down the list is Toyota’s bZ4X (3333), followed by the MG4 (2711), with the MG S5 next up (2670).  Chery’s E5 has managed 2056 sales, while the XPeng G6 (1673) is doing better under the brand’s new factory-backed operation Down Under.  Zeekr dropped the price of its X small SUV in April 2026, and it has seen a strong sales response, with 1635 units sold, equating to a 167.6 per cent increase year-on-year compared to October 2025. Hyundai’s Kona EV has shifted 1567 examples, while the European-built Volvo EX30 (1558) and Volkswagen ID.4 (1440) also sneak into the top 25.  The Mazda 6e has been the 25th best-selling car so far in 2026, with 1390 sales, as the Japanese brand looks to turn around impending fines under the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard.   

The numbers for October 2026 are in, and electric vehicles have officially outsold utes, marking a change in climate for the Australian new car market. A total of 24,845 electric vehicles were sold in October, eclipsing the total ute segment, which accounted for 19,431 units across 4x2, 4x4 and those costing in excess of $100,000. Of those 19,431 utes sold, 327 of them were also fully electric, up 330 per cent from the prior year. There were 6040 electric cars and 19,478 electric SUVs sold in the same period. Electric is now the leading fuel type for cars, and the second best selling fuel type for SUVs after petrol. Electric vehicles are the second best selling fuel type in October, even eclipsing petrol and hybrids for the month, landing within 1000 units of diesel. Year-to-date the Australian market has eclipsed 1 million units, with nearly 1/3rd of them still being petrol (293,298 units) and over a quarter being diesel (258,361 units). Electric vehicles so far account for 205,436 sales, but the fuel type has grown over 175 per cent for the year, where diesel has fallen 16.3 per cent and petrol has fallen 27.6 per cent. The biggest winners in October for electric cars are the Tesla Model Y (3105 units), BYD Sealion 7 (2524 units), Geely EX5 (1789 units) and Zeekr’s 7X (1441 units). Other popular options in the market include the Geely EX2 hatchback (1350 units), Jaecoo J5 EV (1117 units) and Tesla’s Model 3 (945 units). Meanwhile the ute segment is in the midst of a downturn after years of record popularity. Winners for October include the HiLux (5954 units), Ford Ranger (4841 units), BYD Shark 6 (1843 units), Isuzu D-Max (1599 units) and Mitsubishi Triton (1056 units). In total (including 4x4 and 4x2 models) the segment is down 11.42 per cent to 176,240 units from nearly 200,000 units this time last year. The numbers make sense. Diesel has been hit particularly hard by the impact of the war in Iran, which has caused a 94 cent price rise per litre from this time last year. The average price per litre for diesel in Australia is now $2.63, a 55.6 per cent increase on the year prior. This is due to inelastic demand for the fuel type, with private and small business utes competing with the wider commercial sector for the fuel. Meanwhile petrol is currently averaging $2.35 per litre, a more modest 72 cent increase from this time last year. According to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, this means Australians, on average, are paying $546 more per year for fuel than they were in 2025. Combine this with the government’s current FBT exemption program and New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) forcing an influx of pure electric options to the market, and it’s a potent cocktail for automakers with competitive electric car line-ups. This has benefitted Tesla and newer Chinese brands, which largely have managed to meet the market with hybrid and fully electric vehicles that are at or near price parity with their combustion counterparts from so-called ‘legacy’ brands. A prime example is BYD’s fully electric Atto 1 city car becoming Australia’s most affordable new car earlier this year. For the ute segment specifically, BYD’s PHEV-only Shark 6 and GWM’s Cannon and Cannon Alpha which offer PHEV variants have received significant buyer attention, up 1.6 and 9.2 per cent respectively in a market which has otherwise significantly shrunk.

Aussie buyers have a new favourite passenger car, and it’s an EV.  The Tesla Model Y has had a monster 2026, but it’s now claimed the scalp of one of Australia’s stalwarts.  The Model Y has shifted 39,035 units up to October 2026, outselling the Toyota RAV4’s 35,927. It marks a sustained change in Australia’s new car buying market, with an EV claiming the best-selling passenger car spot.  With 2026 edging towards its conclusion, it looks like the Model Y will solidify the historic feat.  Soaring fuel prices and increasing fuel insecurity have encouraged many buyers to make the jump to an electric car, and the Model Y has been at the forefront for this transition. The Electric Vehicle Council’s ‘State of EVs’ report found one in every four cars sold were either electric or plug-in hybrid.  The Model Y has broken record after record in Australia.  In May 2026, it became the first-ever fully-electric car to claim the title for the best-selling car in a single month, toppling the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux diesel ute duopoly.  In June 2026, it achieved the highest monthly sales since the Holden Commodore in the early 2000s with 8072 deliveries.  Tesla also added more variety to its Model Y line-up when it released a six-seater variant called the Model Y L in March 2026.  This three-row Tesla prompted substantial buyer interest and outsold the standard two-row Model Y in July and August 2026.  The Japanese brand launched its next-generation Toyota RAV4 in Australia in March 2026, but it wasn’t smooth sailing to get to that point.  Wait times on new Toyotas have been a major talking point in Australia recently, especially for popular models like the RAV4.  The brand is seemingly still grappling with the aftermath of COVID-19 lockdowns that ravaged its supply chains.  The much-anticipated new-generation RAV4 suffered from significant delays of almost a year, partly caused by a slow production process.  The Model Y has had no such issues.  The majority of Model Y units are built in China using high-tech gigacasting to mould large pieces of the bodywork into a single piece instead of slower individual welding.  Tesla also delivers to Australia on a quarterly cadence, which has allowed them to keep up with increased demand.  Toyota’s sales dipped substantially in the first half of 2026, with the new RAV4 holding the key to the juggernaut turning its fortunes around.  Buyers tend to hold off buying a current generation of a car when the new model is just around the corner. This proved to be the case for the RAV4, with the SUV down more than 70 per cent year-on-year up to March 2026.  The RAV4 has since surged up the sales charts, but it’s been unable to hold off the unstoppable Model Y that keeps getting more popular. 

Tesla has just announced some serious discounts to its existing stock in Australia as it fends off increasingly tough competition. Existing and demonstrator Model Y SUV examples are available from $61,020 (drive-away), which is $2950 less than before, according to the brand. The Model Y usually starts from $58,900, before on-road costs. This deal makes the Model Y more competitive with its key rivals, the BYD Sealion 7 and Zeekr 7X, which start from $54,990 and $57,900, respectively, both before on-road costs. This news follows Tesla slashing the price of its top grade ‘Performance’ variant from $89,400 to $84,900 in October 2026. Tesla is also offering discounts on its Model 3 sedan with demonstrator and existing examples of the Premium RWD starting from $57,733 (drive-away), equating to $3530 off. The Premium RWD variant usually starts from $54,900 and is a step up from the base Model 3 that now starts from $45,900 (before on-road costs) in Australia. It also means it’s priced more closely to the Premium grade of the BYD Seal that starts from $52,990 (before on-road costs). The Model 3 doesn’t sell as prolifically as its Model Y SUV sibling, but it still managed to shift 5775 units up to September 2026, which is more than the BYD Seal (3808). The Model 3 is available with a single electric motor that produces 190kW and 375Nm or dual motors, producing 343kW and 741Nm. The Model Y also has single or dual electric motor options, producing 220kW/420Nm, 378kW/493Nm, or 461kW/741Nm. The Model Y is the best-selling electric car in the world, and Australia is no exception. It’s shifted 43,386 units up to September 2026. This is more than the BYD Sealion 7 (19,964) and the Zeekr 7X (12,006) combined, but these rivals are rapidly gaining popularity. The mid-size SUV segment is the most hotly contested in the market, and the Model Y is now facing an influx of new and affordable electric SUV rivals in Australia in 2026. The Geely EX5 ($41,990) has seen a similar popularity increase to the Sealion 7 and 7X, while the Lepas L6 ($47,990) has just gone on sale Down Under.

Physical buttons are making a return to cars around the world, but the Chinese government is taking it a step further. China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has filed proposals to mandate physical buttons and switches for critical car functions. Multimedia screens, large-area displays and complex head-up displays in cars must undergo mandatory safety checks under the proposals. These tests will measure the impact on driver distraction, reliability in extreme weather and crash performance. The rules take effect for new models from January 1, 2027, with existing models getting the same scrutiny from July 1, 2027. In February 2026, China overtook Japan as the biggest seller of cars in Australia. The China-built BYD Sealion 7 and Tesla Model Y have consistently been the two best-selling electric cars in Australia. They feature 15.6-inch and 16.0-inch central touchscreens, respectively. The Model Y’s screen controls virtually all functions, while the touchscreen in the Sealion 7 controls climate as well as vehicle and safety settings. Installing a large screen instead of a series of buttons and switches can save carmakers money. Housing features like this in a touchscreen increases driver distraction, with drivers needing to sift through menus instead of looking at the road. It arguably causes a similar distraction to using a mobile phone while driving, but using a big touchscreen isn’t illegal. These new rules will require key functionality to be controlled physically as opposed to being embedded in the in-car software. Buyers will see many of Australia’s most popular models adopt a new layout inside the cabin from 2027. Some brands have already started to reintroduce physical controls in the cabin in response to buyer feedback, including Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen. The Chinese government is moving to prohibit “folding” or “flexible” screens inside the car. While there aren’t mass-production cars that have these styles of screen, some brands were developing plans to introduce them down the line. China is also banning the use of ‘zero-gravity’ seats while driving that have become hugely popular in luxury models. This feature enables a seat to recline back on a steep angle, while elevating the leg rest to distribute body weight evenly, hence ‘zero-gravity’. This poses dangers to passengers, because in the event of a sudden stop or a crash, they could slide under the seatbelt, and will also be misaligned with airbags. It comes after the Chinese government outlawed electrically-operated hidden door handles, in favour of manual emergency releases.

The people have spoken, and Australians are going electric, according to the latest sales data. Three electric cars were in the top 10 sellers list for September, with the Tesla Model Y (4476 sales) third overall, the BYD Sealion 7 (2687) fifth and the Geely EX5 (2008) eighth. Australians now buy electric cars in the same number as petrol and diesel vehicles. Sales of  electric, diesel, petrol and hybrid were evenly split in September, with each accounting for about a quarter of sales. Sales of electric cars account for more than 18 per cent of total sales, a rise of more than 165 per cent, and sales of battery-powered vehicles are strengthening as the year goes along. Plug-in hybrids are booming, with sales up more than 120 per cent this year. Conventional hybrids - such as those sold by Toyota - are up more than 10 per cent for the year. Petrol sales are down more than 27 per cent this year and diesel sales have falled more than 16 per cent. Despite the fall, Australians are still gravitating towards familiar petrol and diesel vehicles. The Ford Ranger was the best seller, with 5062 sales in September. This was followed by the Toyota RAV4 (4624), the Model Y, Toyota HiLux (4455) and Chery Tiggo 4 (2059). The other constant in Australia’s new-car sales list are Chinese vehicles. Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan and other long-term favourites had no individual vehicle in the top 10 sellers list. Relatively new names such as the Chery Tiggo 4, GWM Haval Jolion and Geely EX5 continue to climb up the charts. There are several names knocking on the door, with the MG ZS (1805), Jaecoo J5 (1754)  and Zeekr 7X (1628) selling strongly. Chinese-built vehicles are now by far the largest source of new cars to Australia, with more than 40,000 imports in September. The next best was Japan with roughly 23,000. This reversal of Australia’s buying habits is playing out with some of the smaller Japanese brands. Australia bought more BYD Sealion 7s or Chery Tiggo 4s than all Subarus or Nissans in September. Mitsubishi’s sales are plummeting, but it has the new Pajero and electric ASX VR-e arriving before the end of the year to help arrest the slide. Nissan is looking to China to help change its fortunes, with a range of vehicles sourced from its joint-venture with Dongfeng believed to be headed our way. This includes the plug-in hybrid Navara Pro ute and plug-in hybrid Terrano 4WD. 10 best-selling vehicles September, 2026 10 best-selling brands September, 2026

Tesla is gearing up to fight off a new wave of Chinese electric cars, with big updates to its range. The fully-electric Model 3 sedan and Model Y SUV will feature a suite of upgrades and price cuts as they fight off increasingly competitive Chinese rivals Down Under.  The Model Y’s top-spec ‘Performance’ grade now starts from $84,900, down from $89,400 (before on-road costs).  The Model 3 is now cheaper as well, starting from $45,900 instead of $54,900, before on-road costs.  Tesla said both updated cars can be configured on its website.  Tesla's Model Y is the best-selling electric car globally, with Aussie buyers gaining access to improved performance. The Model Y’s long-range all-wheel-drive grade squeezes more performance out of its dual electric motors, and can now sprint from 0-100km/h in 4.3 seconds, down from 4.8 seconds. This is faster than lower grades of the Zeekr 7X ($57,900) that accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.0 seconds.  The Model Y L three-row SUV is also now quicker from a standing start. Acceleration from 0-100km/h takes 4.5 seconds, instead of 5.0 seconds.  The Model Y will be offered with a new Glacier Blue paint colour and a grey interior colour option.  The Model 3’s price cut complements a larger 16.0-inch first-row touchscreen, up from the 15.4-inch unit previously installed, and matching the Model Y. The range-topping Tesla Model 3 Performance has an improved driving range figure of 600km, which is 29km more than before, according to WLTP standards.  The car also receives a dark headliner, and the Zen grey interior option, as well as new 19-inch wheels.  Tesla’s Model 3 has had a slower sales return in 2026 compared to its Model Y SUV sibling, batting for buyer attention with the strong-selling BYD Seal ($52,990).  Both cars are equipped with Tesla’s ‘Power Share’ vehicle-to-load system that allows for owners to power appliances and tools directly from the high-voltage battery.  Tesla cars in Australia previously did not have vehicle-to-load functionality, but this latest update brings them into line with other key mainstream EV rivals.  The brand also confirmed older examples cannot be retrofitted with the Power Share technology.  

To be honest I didn’t think this would happen so fast but it really does appear the end is nigh for the internal combustion engine in Australia, because for the first time sales of electric cars have overtaken petrol ones.  So how does Australia compare for EVs sales compared to the rest of the world? Australia is punching well above its weight.  Australia is ranked high when it comes to EV sales compared to the world, but wait until you see how high. Australians bought 27,089 electric vehicles in August, which represent 24.9 per cent of the market. Not included in this are hybrids or plug-in hybrids, and that makes this number even more significant. In comparison the total sales of petrol cars in August, including light commercial vehicles, came to 25,824. August’s sales came off the back of a bumper July total of 23,510, but they weren’t the largest recorded - that claim to fame goes to June with 32,570 sales.  August was a big month for EV sales in other parts of the world, too. Sales of EVs in France reached a record 38 per cent of the market or 36,159 electric cars. Quick reminder: Australia for the same month has 24.9 per cent and 27,089 electric cars. Let me also tell you that France is placed fourth in the world rankings for August EV sales. Of course this is nothing compared to China’s EV sales, which were approximately one million for August. Yes, China sold the same number of electric cars in August as the almost the combined sales of petrol, diesel, EV, and hybrids in Australia in any given year. With China in the No.1 place; in second place for August is Germany with 68,930 sales; then in third is the United States with about 65,000; then France with its 36,159; followed by the United Kingdom with 27,876; and then in sixth place is Australia with 27,089. We just missed out on being in the top 5 for August EV sales. Australia’s year-to-date battery electric vehicle sales through to the end of August come to 154,313. This places Australia in seventh place globally for the year so far, behind China in first place with approximately 6.06 million sales; then in second place is the US with about 500,000 sales; then Germany in third with 446,615; the UK is in fourth with 327,683; then France with 322,097; and then South Korea with 272,000. Petrol sales year to date have reached 243,673, which is 89,360 sales of the 154,313 EV sales. So while monthly sales of EVs are beginning to overtake petrol car sales, we won't see the electric car sales total for the year eclipse those of petrol in 2026. A recent report from the NRMA found there are approximately 500,000 EVs on Australian roads and this accounted for just three per cent of the total number of registered vehicles.  But as we have seen by the monthly figures EV sales are at a high level and staying high. The NRMA said by 2040 10 per cent of registered vehicles will be EVs, and modelling by the CSIRO predicts by 2050 97 per cent of all light passenger cars will be battery electric vehicles. The Tesla Model Y is not just the biggest selling EV, it's also is the best selling of all cars in Australia right now with 6414 sold in August. The BYD Sealion 7 electric SUV with 2213 sales is the fifth best-selling car in Australia, while the Zeekr 7X is in ninth place with 1748 sales.

A former prime minister is backing Australia’s carmaking industry to make a triumphant return.  Kevin Rudd told the National Press Club on September 10, 2026 new technologies available could return the industry to its former glory.  Australia used to have a thriving car industry, with it being one of the biggest manufacturing hubs globally.  Ford, Holden and Toyota all had major operations in Australia, spanning across decades.  The Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore dominated the sales charts during the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.  Even the Tesla Model Y’s more than 8000 sales in a single month in June 2026 couldn’t eclipse the Commodore's single-month record set more than two decades ago. The federal government’s withdrawal of subsidies in 2013 in combination with increasing costs and decreasing profits saw carmakers pull out of Australian manufacturing.  There are now no cars built on a commercial scale in Australia, leaving the country reliant on imports. Rudd said the then federal government’s decision to remove subsidies was the final blow to the industry.  Australia’s 26th prime minister also praised the previous strength of the car industry, describing it as a “sovereign capability we are sorely missing”.  “Of all the short-sighted acts of economic vandalism in recent decades, the closure of our car industry by the Abbott-Hockey government stands apart,” Rudd said.  “Australia under my government had one of the most modest industry subsidies in the auto world.  “But politics triumphed over reason, sacrificing tens of thousands of jobs, tearing the beating heart out of Australia’s engineering and manufacturing base, and rendering us 100% dependent on auto imports.” Rudd said that developing new technologies in the car industry could reignite interest in it.  “Now the 3D printing and EV revolutions mean we can rebuild an Australian auto sector and repair this fatal vulnerability in our national security,” Rudd said.  3D printing is now an essential part of virtually every carmaker’s manufacturing processes. It can develop model prototypes quickly and improve assembly processes, among other things. It is also used for creating complex moulds in gigacasting - a process where die-casting machines shape large single-piece car body parts instead of individual steel welds.  Some popular EVs rely on gigacasting in production, including the best-selling Tesla Model Y.  Australia could become an EV hub of the future by investing in this technology.

We now know the truth about how long a car battery will last. Austrian battery diagnostics specialist Aviloo has worked out which vehicles perform best when it comes to an EV battery’s state of health (SoH) over time and distance. In its 2026 Certified EV Battery Report the company has analysed more than 500,000 Aviloo ‘Flash Test’ results from 2022 to 2026 across 20 high-volume electric car models in North and South America, Europe, Australia and Asia to determine the best performers. The flash test is a three-minute diagnostic check that assesses the health and performance of an electric vehicle's high-voltage traction battery. Rather than registering a value reported by the car's on-board battery management system, the flash test “independently calculates SoH using a statistical model trained on hundreds of thousands of comparable used vehicles, factoring in mileage, age, (charge) cycle count, cell voltage spread, energy counters and other diagnostic signals.” In releasing its results Aviloo made the point that, buyers of used internal-combustion cars rely on odometer readings and service records, but was not the most accurate way to tell an EV battery's state.  “The battery is the single most expensive component of an electric car, and the one with the widest variation from vehicle to vehicle. “Two used electric cars with 50,000 kilometres on the odometer might present in what appears to be identical condition but can differ by up to 10 percentage points in battery SoH,” it said. The data reflects three mileage milestones (50,000, 100,000 and 150,000 kilometres), identifying the SoH range covering 99 percent of all independently tested vehicles of that model.  The company made the point, “Battery health varied within each of the 20 models tested, between models and, above all, between individual vehicles of the same model. An average per model therefore says little about a specific car. "SoH can vary by up to 13.5 percentage points between the best and weakest examples of the same model,” it said. As a result the median serves as the reference point in each case. The spread across the 20 models tested was already clear at the 50,000km mark with four examples highlighted for more detailed analysis in line with their different sizes, typical use and battery types. Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 had the best SoH of the four models, with range barely falling from 335 to 321km and a spread of 37 kilometres between the extremes recorded. As one of Europe’s best-selling EVs, the VW ID.4’s potential range fell from 373 to 355km, with up to 44km between the best and the weakest vehicle at 150,000km. The Tesla Model Y, the world's best-selling car for the last three years, saw its real-world range fall from 379 to 361km at 150,000km, with a 46-kilometre difference between the best and the weakest example tested. The Nissan Nissan Leaf ZE1, with the smallest (40kWh) battery of the four models highlighted the finding that smaller batteries with more frequent charging cycles age faster on average.  Across all three mileage levels analysed, the Nissan had the lowest SoH of the four models examined in detail, with its real-world range dropping from 195 to 185km. Other models that performed well after 150,000km travelled were the Mercedes-Benz EQA (93.97 SoH), BMW i4 (93.62), Hyundai Kona EV (92.95), Volvo XC40 Recharge (92.79), Ford Mustang Mach-E (92.53) and Polestar 2 (92.46). Some that didn't fare as well were the Renault Zoe (87.33) and Tesla Model 3 (88.94). Commenting on the report Aviloo CEO Dr. Marcus Berger said, “The truth in this data is that averages hide a lot.  “Yes, electric car batteries age better than the myth of rapid wear suggests, but that is not the most important finding.  “What matters is that battery health varies widely between models, and even more widely between individual vehicles of the same model,” he said. The Aviloo Certified EV Battery Report will now be published twice a year, drawing on the company’s global diagnostics database, which holds more than one million independent tests.