Seven Electric Vehicles from China and South Korea Outsold Tesla Model Y in Australia

The electric vehicle market in Australia is changing rapidly, and former leaders can no longer be confident in their positions. Buyers are increasingly choosing new brands that offer more attractive prices and more features for the same money.

In 2023-2024, the Tesla Model Y was the undisputed sales leader. However, the emergence of new models from Chinese and Korean manufacturers led to a sharp drop in demand for the Model Y. In April, this car ranked only 8th in sales volume among the country’s electric vehicles, indicating a shift in consumer preferences.

The undisputed sales leader in April was the BYD Sealion 7. This model from the Ocean series offers a more attractive price compared to the Tesla Model Y – starting from 54,990 Australian dollars (~$35,400) versus $63,400 for the base Tesla. A total of 734 units of the Sealion 7 were sold during the month.

Second place went to the MG4 with 363 units sold. The BYD Atto 3 (355 cars) and Kia models EV5 (342) and EV3 (336) were slightly behind. The BYD Seal and Geely EX5 showed almost identical results – 325 sales each.

Tesla managed to sell only 280 units of the Model Y, which is still more than the Model 3 (220 cars). Closing the top ten is the BYD Dolphin with 216 cars sold.

It is worth considering that in April, Tesla was simultaneously selling both the old and the updated version of the Model Y. Many buyers are probably waiting for the full launch of the new model, which is expected to appear in the coming months. However, the current results may cause concern for the company’s local management.

MOST POPULAR ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN AUSTRALIA

General Market Trends

In April, Australia saw a decrease in the total volume of new car sales. 90,614 vehicles were sold, which is 6.8% less than in April 2024, and significantly lower than the March figure (108,606 cars).