Australia is seeing a massive surge towards EVs, and the Tesla Model Y is leading the way. The Model Y was the best-selling SUV and third best seller of any new vehicle sold in Australia.
The data, which comes from the Federated Chamber of Automotive Industries, shows the Model Y moving 3,178 units in May. Beating out the popular Toyota RAV4. While the only vehicles to beat out the Model Y were the Toyota Hi-Lux (5,772) and the Ford Ranger (4,110).
In terms of EVs, Tesla sits at first and third on the list. Here are the top ten: (via The Driven)
| Place | Vehicle | Number of vehicles sold |
| 1 | Tesla Model Y | 3,178 |
| 2 | BYD Atto 3 | 1,448 |
| 3 | Tesla Model 3` | 1,298 |
| 4 | MG ZS EV | 276 |
| 5 | Volvo XC40` | 266 |
| 6 | Polestar 2 | 226 |
| 7 | Volvo X40 | 165 |
| 8 | Mercedes Benz EQA | 124 |
| 9 | Kia EV6 | 104 |
| 10 | BMW iX | 86 |
The Model Y strong sales led to a best-ever month for EVs, with a record 8,124 EVs delivered in May. So far, EVs account for 7 per cent of the overall new car market in 2023, with Tesla leading the way. Tesla has nearly eclipsed its yearly sales numbers in 2022, five months into 2023, with 18,559 EVs.
Tesla will soon have more competition with the MG 4, GMW Ora Cat and potentially the BYD Dolphin arriving in Australia soon. However, with the current dominance, BYD and Tesla might be left fighting for supremacy in Australia.
The story is similar for worldwide sales, as the Model Y was the world’s best selling car in the first quarter of the year. This marked the first time an EV had claimed the world’s best selling title, surpassing the affordable Toyota Corolla and popular RAV4 while doing so.
