Tesla Model Y becomes Australia’s best-selling electric car in 2023

Australia’s automotive sector saw a stellar 2023, with new vehicle deliveries rising 12.5% to a record 1,216,780 units. Amidst this growth, the Tesla Model Y proved to be a strong force in the country’s electric vehicle segment. 

Tesla saw its Australia sales reach 46,116 units in 2023, effectively beating BYD, which sold 12,438 units during the year. Tesla’s sales surge was driven by the Model Y crossover, which sold 28,769 units over the year. These figures also allowed the Model Y to become Australia’s 6th-best-selling vehicle in 2023, regardless of fuel type.

For context, Australia’s best-selling vehicle in 2023 was the Ford Ranger, with sales of 63,356 units. The Ranger is followed by the Toyota Hi-Lux, which sold 61,111. Following the Hi-Lux were the Isuzu D-Max, Toyota Rav4, and the MG ZS, which sold 31,202, 29,627, and 29,258 units, respectively. 

While the Tesla Model Y led the charge, Australia’s overall electric vehicle sector saw notable growth in 2023. Battery electric vehicles represented 7.2% of the country’s new vehicle deliveries in 2023. That’s a significant improvement from the 3.1% share that EVs had in 2022. This also means that Tesla, with its 2023 sales of 46,116 units, held a 3.79% share of the overall Australian auto market last year. 

Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) chief executive Tony Weber highlighted that if hybrids and plug-in hybrid vehicles are included, the market share of vehicles that are not powered exclusively by the internal combustion engine is 16.2%, with 196,868 units sold in 2023. In 2022, the share of BEVs, PHEVs, and hybrids was just at 11.2%. 

“With some form of electrification, we’ve got to one in six vehicles in this country being sold in those categories,” Weber said. He also warned that Australia’s auto sector may see some pressure this 2024, thanks in part to sharp rises in interest rates and households feeling the pressure from inflation and high energy bills, as noted in a report from The Australian Financial Review. 

“There’s going to be some pressure in all markets, including the car market. We do recognize there will be some black clouds on the economic horizon,” he said. 

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