Tesla News

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.

BYD promises three new self-driving technologies for its entire range as Tesla admits its existing cars won't be capable without major upgrades.

Electric cars are finding their footing in the new car market, but used EVs remain mysterious. You can’t check the oil, the service records won’t tell you much and the single most expensive part — the battery — typically requires full replacement if there’s an issue, rather than repair. Good news is that data from online auction house Pickles shows that battery health is in line with — if not better — than manufacturer predictions. Which should help allay one of the biggest fears of buying a second hand electric car.The vast majority of electric cars on sale today have an eight-year or 160,000km — whichever comes first — battery warranty. These typically guarantee the battery health of any car will remain above 70 per cent. If not, the manufacturer will replace the unit free of charge. Battery health refers to what percentage of the battery’s original capacity remains usable and dictates maximum driving range. For example, if a car was capable of travelling 500km from 100 per cent charge when new, a battery health of 80 per cent would see your maximum range fall to 400km. Additional aspects, including fast-charge time, may be affected as well. Pickles has found the average battery health of vehicles sold to be in excess of 90 per cent, even for vehicles that have travelled more than 120,000km. Many of these cars would have travelled this distance in less than five years, which is an impressive result. Additionally, cars over four years old with lower kilometres retained, on average, more than 93 per cent battery health.Data was collected from the ‘Pickles EV battery health assurance process’, which uses consistent third party software and has been run on 250 vehicles so far. See the below table for observed battery health against kilometres travelled. “This underlines that Pickles is selling used EVs with very healthy batteries, as early data suggests battery health is in line with manufacturer expectations,” said Brendon Green, Pickles General Manager, Automotive Solutions.Some brands fared better than others, though exact reasons why would be speculative. Hyundai and BYD had the highest average battery health rates, followed by Tesla. Partially this can be attributed to Tesla being around for longer. With advancements in battery temperature management such as liquid cooling and heat pumps, lifetime health has generally improved. Admittedly, Pickles’ sample size is small compared to the 90,000-strong new electric car market last year. The auction house had 334 electric cars come through in 2024, a huge leap from 2023’s 115 units. Naturally, the used market has lagged behind the new one but there’s an important milestone coming up, with the government’s FBT exemption for electric vehicles coming up to three years old in July. This will see numbers increase as cars come off lease. Along with bringing broader choice, prices are only expected to fall further in response to intense new-car discounting and a flood of the market.Not ideal for those who purchased new electric cars, but a great thing for those looking to get into an EV without the capital for a new purchase. Pickles' data shows used petrol and diesel vehicles remain 20 per cent above pre-COVID prices, electric vehicle are back to, or below, those values.Interestingly, the report shows that a much greater number of electric cars are selling to private buyers (51 per cent) versus the split for petrol and diesel vehicles (24 per cent) which are motor trade heavy. Green said that EVs may have attracted a “marginally smaller” dealer pool, but the private buyer interest is a good thing for Pickles and its sellers as they are typically less outright price sensitive. “In general, EV buyers are far more educated than any other vehicle buyer category that we’ve seen so far. They do a lot of research, because they’re all stepping away, often for the first time, from a traditional ICE . “They’ve probably test driven them elsewhere and gone, right, I want a Tesla Model 3 with two years and 30,000kms and there’s three of them on Pickles already,” explained Green. 

Price used to be the biggest hurdle to electric car adoption, but not anymore.Research conducted by the Electric Vehicle Council in 2022 suggested half of new car buyers were considering switching to electric, but the number one concern was the upfront cost.One of the best value offerings at the time was the Tesla Model 3, which started from a whopping $64,300. Consumers were expected to pay $15,000 to $20,000 more for an EV compared to an equivalent petrol model.A lot has changed.The electric car market has expanded significantly and costs, both from existing players and those new-to-market, have come down significantly.The upgraded Tesla Model 3, which now features more driving range and features, starts from $54,900, and you can hop into a fully electric car from as low as $29,990 (for the BYD Dolphin Essential).Not only have costs come down, but the amount of choice has exploded. The just-launched Leapmotor C10 is a mid-size family SUV, which starts from $45,888 before on-roads (or just $47,500 as part of an initial drive-away offer). It’s a price-tag equivalent to a mid-spec Toyota RAV4 — Australia’s most in-demand hybrid SUV — and soon it will have to compete with not only the Xpeng G6 but the Geely EX5.We may have expected electric car price parity to arrive with some fanfare, but it has almost arrived with barely a whimper.Top-selling models, including the Tesla Model Y, still seem to be a price-step above combustion options. There’s a vibrant price-war amongst the increasing number of Chinese automakers available and in an increasing number of segments, but it seems like electric cars have lost their lustre a bit amongst new car buyers.As a result, the latest data from the industry has those considering purchasing an EV dropping significantly.It’s not all over for electric cars as some doom and gloom headlines proclaim, often citing softening (but still growing) sales in Australia. There are also much more dire figures out of Europe causing some of the biggest manufacturers to issue embarrassing about-faces on once-bold all-electric commitments, as customers reject new products in droves.So why is this happening? Do Australian new car buyers even want an EV anymore, and are we set to follow in the footsteps of other places that have seen an EV sales slow-down?The issue has several factors, all of them economic rather than ideological, despite what the comments section would have you believe.Consumer confidence in the new car market has declined significantly with high interest rates. The January 2025 sales data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) showed a continued decline in EV sales following a soft second half of 2024, but also a rapid increase in registrations at the lowest end of the market. Significant winners so far this year include the Kia Picanto, Chery Tiggo 4, MG3, and outgoing Mitsubishi ASX, all budget petrol-powered offerings, and a far cry from the usual mid- or high-spec SUVs which have dominated sales charts for some time.Another significant factor is the removal of EV incentives from most states.The amount of competition in the Australian market has had a knock-on effect of slaughtering the resale value of existing EVs. Imagine having bought a pre-upgrade Model 3 in 2022, only to have its value halve in three years because the new one is not only better, but it’s nearly $10,000 more affordable, too.Then there’s the consideration of why buy a two- or three-year-old, relatively high kilometre Tesla, when you could have a brand-new BYD Seal with a box-fresh warranty from $46,990. Buyers have begun to question whether now is the right time for a purely electric vehicle, when they could simply wait for prices to stabilise, buying or holding on to a combustion car in the meantime.Fuel prices are hovering around $2 a litre and Australia’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standards (NVES) will begin to have a significant impact on the model mix available. Hybrids appear to be the biggest beneficiaries. Sales are up a whopping 76 per cent year-on-year, driven by the return of the supply of popular Toyota models after a long period of parts shortages, and an explosion of new options available from Hyundai, Kia, GWM, Honda, and Nissan.This slowdown in EV consideration is a natural part of the process and what has to happen to bring the technology to the mainstream as automakers scramble to have the best, most affordable vehicles available.It’s the most keen early-adopters of electric vehicles who will feel the brunt of this. Their vehicles have been hit by the biggest declines in value, and they’ve had to put up with an immature charging network and even some additional expenses, like higher insurance costs.Still, the Australian market continues to evolve. While consumers seem to have turned more to hybrids, EV sales still grew in Australia, up 4.7 per cent over the course of 2024. They accounted for 91,292 units or 7.4 per cent the market and more options particularly at the same price of popular hybrids should continue to convert buyers.Australia has plenty of growth in the EV sector to go. Australia has the highest uptake of household solar in the world, which would, in turn, mean that Australian households with the ability to charge in their garage will have some of the lowest per-km cost to recharge their electric vehicles.The biggest factor in the long-run though will be the NVES. Finally catapulting Australia into the world of 21st century emissions policy, this policy will really start to bite in the second half of the decade. Almost every mainstream automaker who has spoken to CarsGuide on the topic has earmarked serious changes to their line-up, with a high percentage of pure electric vehicles necessary for them to avoid hefty fines from the government.It’s also worth noting that at 7.4 per cent adoption, while Australia has been a little slow on the uptake, it’s hardly hit the saturation point which many European jurisdictions and some Chinese cities have reached, which is a big source of their respective market slow-downs.What’s the take-away? While price-parity EVs have quietly arrived in Australia with minimal fanfare, the path for growth here seems more sustainable than the great swings and misses we’ve seen overseas.Periods of explosive growth and unsustainable subsidies are behind us, and a slowly-but-surely set of policies in place here seems to be adding incrementally to Australia’s electric fleets rather than moving from huge sales to gutting losses for automakers, and in the long term, this should add confidence for EV buyers rather than doubt.