Australians love their Teslas. Over 4,400 have been bought in Could — 3,178 Mannequin Y and 1,298 Mannequin 3 electrical autos. It’s unhappy to see the variety of Mannequin 3s happening, however it’s to be anticipated with the recognition of the SUV-shaped Mannequin Y. Electrical autos have maintained their roughly 7% penetration fee of the automobile market in Australia for the primary 5 months of 2023. Over 32,000 electrical vehicles have bought previously 5 months. This bodes effectively for an anticipated doubling of the EV fleet in Australia in 2023, as predicted by Ergon Power. Oh, what a sense!

EV volumes in Queensland. Copyright Energex Restricted and Ergon Power Company Restricted. Used with permission.

Veda Prime informs us that over 10,000 Teslas are on their solution to Australia and must be delivered by the top of June. These are anticipated to be 85% Mannequin Y and 15% Mannequin 3. Keep tuned for much more pleasure. Perhaps we’ll even see a Bluey episode with dad driving a Tesla.

Maybe we can have a Mannequin Y of our personal. Picture courtesy of Majella Waterworth.

The highest 5 locations on the rostrum have been occupied thus: Tesla Mannequin Y (3,178), BYD Atto 3 (1,448), Tesla Mannequin 3 (1,298), MG ZS EV (276), and the Polestar 2 and Volvo XC40 Recharge (226) each coming at quantity 5. Readers will observe the large hole between third and fourth place. On a facet observe, the Atto 3 has outsold the Teslas in New Zealand for the previous three months — maybe an indication of issues to return.

A small entry within the Australian stats is gross sales of the Nice Wall ORA Cat — 3 have been bought in Could. These high-tech reasonably priced metropolis vehicles are anticipated to make an impression on our market. My contact at Nice Wall rang the opposite day and instructed me I ought to be capable of take a look at drive one quickly. Fb is reporting automobile transports loaded with the brand new entrant to the market leaving Melbourne for supply to sellers.

The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries notes: “Gross sales of Battery Electrical Autos have been 7.7 per cent of the market in Could and are working at 7.0 per cent 12 months so far. Gross sales for electrified autos (Battery Electrical Automobile, Plug-In Hybrid and Hybrid) made up 15.6 per cent of the market in Could.

“Toyota (18,340) was the market chief in Could adopted by Mazda (8,475), Hyundai (7,078), Kia (7,000) and Ford (6,251).

“The Toyota Hello-Lux (5,772) was the biggest promoting mannequin adopted by Ford Ranger (4,110), Tesla Mannequin Y (3,178), Toyota RAV4 (2,616) and MG ZS (2,502).”

Till the electrical utes get to our shores in cheap numbers, #1–3 are more likely to proceed as they’re. Nice to see an EV (particularly a Tesla) within the prime 3. Oh, what a sense! The Tesla Mannequin Y is outselling the RAV 4, the Camry, and the Corolla!

Blended messages are coming from Australia’s varied governments. The federal authorities has simply introduced that it’s going to change over from diesel-powered BMWs to battery electrical autos — nonetheless BMWs. Apparently, Teslas aren’t luxurious sufficient. The Queensland state authorities has doubled the EV rebate from $3000 to $6000, and in a shock announcement, the Victorian state authorities will stop giving rebates for the acquisition of an electrical automobile.

In 2021, the Victorian authorities allotted funding to assist EV uptake for 20,000 autos. The $3000 subsidy has now been scrapped after solely funding 7,692 vehicles. The street utilization tax which was introduced in on the similar time will proceed at 2.5 cents per kilometre.

I not too long ago wrote a few change within the narrative in Australia, a constructive angle change to electrical autos. This was within the context of the Gayndah Orange Competition. Gayndah is a really conservative voters in Queensland. The federal member of parliament was there and wouldn’t speak to us. Since then, we have now been to occasions in Rockhampton and Gladstone. Each of those regional cities are conservative. Rockhampton is the meat export capital of Queensland and Gladstone is without doubt one of the largest coal export hubs on this planet. We have been as soon as once more amazed on the change in attitudes. The FUD has been changed by real questions and folks prepared to take heed to the reply.

At Rockhampton, we had 17 vehicles on show — a couple of of us from Brisbane, however most owned by locals. Visits from the native council member and the state member of parliament confirmed the curiosity that was being generated. I used to be interviewed by the regional newspaper and Arthur Hunt, who ably organised the occasion, was interviewed for radio and tv. Automobiles ranged from an i-MiEV to a Porsche.

From Porsche Taycan to i-MiEV at Rockhampton EV occasion. Picture courtesy of Majella Waterworth.

In Gladstone, we had two staff from the Shell show inform us that they’d ordered their Mannequin Ys and anticipated supply this week. Subsequent 12 months, I hope they are going to be again as exhibiters for EVs and never an oil firm.

Final 12 months, I spoke with the Gladstone Toyota supplier who co-sponsored the Eco Fest and he assured me that the BZ4 could be accessible by the top of the 12 months. He mentioned the identical final weekend. In an indication of desperation, they’d a mannequin of the automobile on show. It jogged my memory of when Toyotas first got here to this nation within the ’70s and have been derided as toy vehicles — you possibly can purchase a sticker for the bumper in your Corolla that mentioned “Not a Toy!” Oh, what a sense.

Not a great feeling while you solely have a toy for a Toyota. Picture courtesy of Majella Waterworth.

As Teslas hit excessive mileages*, persons are beginning to discover that the benefit of EVs transcend local weather motion and embrace longevity and price financial savings. Though, my physician received’t purchase an EV till it makes a sound like a Porsche. …

Tesla 3 Uber does over 200,000 km. Picture courtesy Nathan Merritt

Though the highlight is on Tesla, and for excellent cause, different manufacturers are bringing their vehicles to the Australian market, too. We’re nonetheless awaiting the MG 4 (which is doing so effectively in Europe) and the BYD Dolphin. OEMs are beginning to promote on mainstream TV, just like the Cupra Born and the extremely anticipated Ford Mustang Mach-E.

Electrical car watchers are eagerly awaiting June stats, as they need to signify a step change within the numbers. Oh, what a sense!

*Nathan Merritt is an Australian Uber driver who has not too long ago pushed his Mannequin 3 over the 200,000 km mark.