The Tesla Model 3 was Australia’s third-best-selling vehicle in Australia in January, even amidst the best overall market in five years, according to the Australian Financial Review.
Australia’s Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) showed overall auto sales at their strongest since January 2018, with sales up 11.9 percent for a total of 84,873 sold.
The Model 3 sold 2,927 units in January, following the Toyota Hi-Lux (4,131) and the Ford Ranger suite (4,749), and ahead of the fourth-place seller the Mazda CX-3 (2,417). This was the first time an electric vehicle has reached so high on the best-selling cars list in Australia.
Tesla Model 3 Ends Toyota Camry’s 28-Year Sales Streak in Australia https://t.co/FqXpfFRmxV
— TeslaNorth.com (@RealTeslaNorth) January 6, 2023
The accomplishment marks the highest spot on the sales board ever reached by an electric vehicle (EV), according to FCAI CEO Tony Weber. Weber also suggested that the month showed signs of a calming supply chain and recovery from previously-low production levels.
“This is the first time a pure battery electric model has been ranked so highly,” said Weber.
Pure battery-powered EV sales made up 5.71% of the total market, with 4,852 EVs sold in January 2023.
New South Wales saw the biggest sales increase out of all of Australia’s states, with a sales jump of 15 percent to 26,484. Queensland and South Australia followed with increases of 14.3 percent (18,766) and 11.9 percent (5,786), respectively.
The news comes just a few days after Tesla opened select Superchargers in Australia to non-Tesla EVs, as part of a pilot program that has also hit much of Europe.
Tesla debuted its Model Y SUV in Australia last year, and reports show that the automaker may be getting ready to deliver its first Model Y Performance units.
