Tesla News

Cheaper Tesla Model Ys are on the way.The company is anticipating non-Launch Editions of the updated Model Y to be available soon in Australia after revealing three Long Range All-Wheel Drive variants will be on display at the Everything Electric show in Sydney this weekend.Prices of the non-Launch Edition variants are expected to be more affordable than the current Rear-Wheel Drive and All-Wheel Drive Launch Edition grades, which have been priced at $63,400 and $73,400 (both at before on-road costs), respectively, ahead of deliveries in May.The previous entry-level Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive started at $55,900, before on-road costs, while the Long Range All-Wheel drive was priced at $69,900, before on-road costs.Non-Launch Edition variants are likely to carry less standard features than the Launch Edition variants in support of their reduced price tags.That means they will likely lose the power tailgate, puddle lights, doorsill plates, Launch Edition badging and complimentary premium paint, along with the acceleration boost feature on the Launch Edition AWD – which is typically a paid software upgrade.Customers will have the opportunity to get up close to the new model, which was imported into Australia specifically for the event. A Cybertruck will also be on display.The brand also confirmed allocations for the cheapest Rear-Wheel Drive Launch Edition variant in Australia have already been exhausted, as was previously speculated by CarsGuide following the removal of the car from its local website.Interest in the All-Wheel Drive Long Range Launch Edition variant is also said to be high.A boost in sales couldn’t come any sooner for Tesla, which has seen its sales fall 65.6 per cent in Australia this year to date, driven by a 71.9 per cent drop in sales last February compared to the previous year. Tesla sold 1592 vehicles last month compared to 5665 the year prior.Some have pointed the finger at the controversial politics of CEO Elon Musk, as the brand also registered a significant sales decline in Europe. Customers are also holding out for the updated Model Y – the brand’s best-selling model.Chinese EV rival BYD is nipping at its heels in the Australian and global markets, having registered a 38.4 per cent sales increase locally compared to last February, equivalent to 3956 sales.That said, sales were mostly attributable to its new Shark 6 Plug-in Hybrid ute, despite its Tesla Model Y competitor, the Sealion 7, showing strong early sales results.More information on the Tesla Model Y, including further pricing and specifications, is expected following its official unveiling at Everything Electric this weekend.

Chinese electric car giant BYD has declared its interest in working with Tesla to combat the sale of petrol and diesel cars.“Our common enemy is the internal combustion engine (ICE) car. We need to work together… to make the industry change,” said BYD’s Vice President, Stella Li, in an interview with the Financial Times.Speaking at a BYD Showroom in London, Li said the brand was willing to share crucial EV autonomous technologies with foreign car brands, despite the US placing a blanket 100 per cent tariff on Chinese-made EVs that effectively bars them from the market.The European Union also imposes a 17 per cent tariff on BYD vehicles on top of a 10 per cent levy on all imported vehicles.“ Chinese government is more open, so maybe there is a lot of wrong perception here,” Li said.Last month, BYD announced it would make its new ‘God’s-Eye’ autonomous driving technology available on most of its global models over the next couple of years for no additional cost via an over-the-air update. The technology is already active on some of its Chinese models.Tesla’s supervised full self-driving system, known as Autopilot, is available in the US for an upfront price of USD$8000 ($12,360) or on a subscription basis for USD$99 ($156) per month.Li's comments came as BYD continues to challenge Tesla’s long-held supremacy on the Global EV market.BYD emerged in 2023 as Tesla's fiercest competitor to the title of the world’s best-selling EV brand, after usurping Tesla's global EV sales in the fourth quarter of December 2023.Tesla regained the title in quarter one of 2024, rounding out the year with 1.78 million sales. BYD wasn’t far behind, though, at approximately 1.7 million EV sales.In Australia, Tesla sales have taken a major hit in the first couple of months of 2025. The controversial politics of CEO Elon Musk have appeared to have an impact, and customers are also awaiting the updated Model Y, the brand’s best-selling model, with deliveries set to commence in Australia in May.As of February 2025, Tesla sales have fallen 65.6 per cent this year to date, driven by a 71.9 per cent drop in sales last February compared to the previous year. Tesla sold 1592 vehicles last month compared to 5665 the year prior.Meanwhile, BYD’s sales grew by 38.4 per cent in Australia last month to 3946 units compared to 2859 the previous February.BYD, which operates tariff-free in the Australian market, saw strong early sales of its plug-in hybrid ute, the Shark 6, and its Tesla Model Y competitor, the Sealion 7. Deliveries of both models commenced earlier this year.

Speculation that Tesla sales are tanking in Australia thanks to the controversial politics of CEO Elon Musk is rife, but is that really the full picture?

A class action lawsuit is being levelled against Tesla in Australia.It is being organised by law firm JGA Saddler and it alleges the company sold vehicles that were defective in Australia.It concerns Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles built from 2021 onwards that are equipped with the Autopilot feature.The class action alleges the brand over promised on the capabilities of its vehicles and some functions didn’t work properly.The three main issues were for phantom braking, which the lawsuit alleges occurs when the auto emergency braking tech brakes at inappropriate circumstances that could lead to an increased risk of an accident.It calls out the vehicles’ driving range, too. The lawsuit alleges owners can not achieve or come close to the advertised range or the range displayed on the vehicle’s dashboard when the battery level is greater than 50 per cent.The final point of the class action surrounds the vehicle's Autopilot claims. It said the hardware on Tesla vehicles is incapable of supporting fully autonomous or close to autonomous driving despite claims to the contrary.The firm is looking for aggrieved owners to take part in the action against Tesla, which will be argued in the Federal Court of Australia.“Tesla made promises about their vehicles’ safety, performance and features such as their ‘full self-driving’, but it appears some of these promises are falling flat,” said JGA Saddler director Rebecca Jancauskas, according to news.com.au.“Imagine your EV has never reached 75 per cent of its advertised battery range, or the promised self-driving features, that you paid a premium of more than $5000 for, have never been delivered,” Ms Jancauskas said.“It is hoped this claim underscores the importance for all EV manufacturers to be truthful in their marketing, deliver on their promises, and ensure their products are safe and reliable,” she said.This isn’t the first time Tesla’s Autopilot feature has been put in the spotlight.In 2020 Germany banned the company from using the term “Autopilot” to describe its semi-autonomous driving features.There have also been numerous reports overseas that Teslas have been involved in accidents when owners have relied too heavily on the technology.Last year an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the US found the Autopilot feature had been involved in at least 13 fatal accidents.

One of the biggest issues facing electric car owners could soon be over.

I'm calling it early – the Tesla Model Y's time as Australia's best-selling electric vehicle is coming to an end. And no, I don't think the refreshed Juniper is going to save it.

Mass-production of the updated Tesla Model Y is officially underway at the brand’s Shanghai Gigafactory.The news was confirmed by CarNewsChina ahead of orders commencing in China at the end of the month. Australian examples are set to roll off the same assembly lines and onto our shores by May.First examples were pictured in Tesla’s new Glacier Blue colour scheme, which is a much softer tone than the outgoing Deep Blue Metallic.Interestingly, images obtained by CarNewsChina show that new Model Ys produced in China will have the ‘T’ logo embossed on their front bonnets, despite promotional images showing the car without one.A Tesla spokesperson confirmed on Instagram the lack of a front logo will pertain to the US and European markets, but not in China, where front badges are apparently mandated by law.Front badges are not legally required in Australia either, but given our Teslas are produced in China, it remains to be seen whether the new Model Ys will carry them or not. Tesla's retail website in Australia shows the Model Y with no logo but the Model 3 does, which gives us a hint Aussie delivered cars will arrive sans front badges.The move, the spokesperson said, follows a new design direction for the brand, as pioneered by the Cybertruck, which prioritises the recognisability of the Tesla silhouette rather than any specific badges or logos.Tesla will launch the new Model Y in two single and dual-motor 'Launch Edition' variants, which are rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, respectively.Full specifications remain unconfirmed, but in China, the Rear-Wheel Drive variant will carry a 62.5kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery pack built by CATL, while the Long-Range All-Wheel Drive will use a 78.4kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery, as per CarNewsChina. We do know in Australia that the Rear-Wheel Drive will provide 466km of range under the WLTP cycle, while the Long-Range All-Wheel Drive version will provide 551km, an increase of 18km on its predecessor.Pricing will start at $63,400, up $7500 for the base model, while the top spec will start at $73,100, up $3500 on its predecessor. Both prices are at before on-road costs.That puts it at $8410 more expensive than the BYD Sealion 7, which has just launched in Australia, and $6630 more than the Kia EV5, which starts at $6,630 (both cars are priced at before on-road costs).In addition to the new design features, Tesla said the new Model Y has improved suspension, wheels and tyres for a smoother driving experience. Acoustic glass and better noise insulation are also said to improve road noise.Inside, the Model Y’s central infotainment screen has grown to 15.4-inches, while there is now an additional eight-inch touchscreen for back seat passengers. There's also a new steering wheel, while the gear selector has moved to the central screen.A plug in the frunk also allows it to be used as a cooler.Expect more powertrain details on the new Model Y closer to the commencement of first deliveries in May.

Car industry bodies and electric car charging providers are calling for regulatory reform to encourage greater kerbside charging infrastructure and counter stagnating demand for electric cars.

Performance electric cars are too cheap.

Tesla has confirmed a Performance variant of its updated Model Y is coming this year.The news was revealed by Tesla executives Franz Von Halzhausen and Lars Moravy on a recent episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, where Moravy confirmed the Model Y would follow the same release cycle of the updated Model 3, which was released in Australia in late 2023.“We’re starting with the Launch Edition. All the other variants – the Dual-Motor base edition, Rear-Wheel Drive, Performance, seven-seater options – those will come later in the year,” said Moravy.Deliveries of the updated Model 3 commenced in Australia in late December 2023 before deliveries of the Performance version commenced in July 2024. That suggests we're likely to see the Model Y Performance in Australian showrooms before the end of the year, following the Launch Edition's arrival in May.No new details were spilt on the Performance variant aside from some minor upgrades across the rang, such as a retuned suspension, an upgraded audio system, a front-facing camera, new acoustic glass, a UV-resistant roof and a drain plug in the frunk that allows it to be used as a cooler.If the updates handed down to the Model 3 Performance are anything to go by, though, we can expect the Model Y Performance's new drive unit to deliver a circa 22 per cent increase in continuous power, a 32 per cent increase in peak power and a 16 per cent increase in peak torque over its predecessor.That should see power and torque rise by somewhere in the region of 45kW and 102Nm, as was the case with the updated Model 3 Performance, which also benefited from a 0.3 reduction second in its 0-100km/h time.As such, we’d expect total outputs on the new Model Y Performance to jump to north of 450kW/750Nm, with a new 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.4 seconds, down from 3.7 seconds.A seven-seater version of the standard Model Y remains unconfirmed for Australia, however, rumours of a family-sized model going into production have persisted in China – where Australia-bound Tesla’s are built – since last year.It could be on the cards as Tesla looks to increase its appeal in the face of increasing competition in the mid-size SUV segment from Chinese rivals in BYD, Xpeng, Deepal and Geely.Tesla sold 465 units of the Model Y last month, an increase of 21 per cent on the previous year as the outgoing version goes into a run-out sale. The entire brand recorded a 33.2 per cent sales decline, however, offloading just 739 cars for the month.Expect more information on the upcoming Performance and a prospective seven-seat variant to follow the Model Y’s official Australian launch in May.