Tesla cuts prices in Australia: Model 3, Model Y electric cars hit new low
Prices of Tesla electric cars in Australia have hit a new low – with $3900 taken off every RRP – as part of the third price cut this year.
US electric-car specialist Tesla has dropped prices across its model range – the Tesla Model 3 sedan and Tesla Model Y SUV – to new lows, and customers in the queue may be in line for the reductions.
From today (1 July 2023), recommended retail prices – which exclude stamp duty, registration, order/delivery fees and Luxury Car Tax, where applicable – have been cut by $3900 across all Model 3 and Model Y variants.
Tesla continues not to include Luxury Car Tax (LCT) in its list prices for the models for the models it applies to, despite being industry practice to do so.
However once LCT is included, the saving is up to $6955 on a Model 3 Performance sedan compared to the same vehicle ordered yesterday – due to the cut in the RRP, and an increase in the LCT threshold for electric cars from 1 July 2023, from $84,916 to $89,332 (plus on-road costs).
The most affordable vehicle the company sells, the rear-wheel-drive Tesla Model 3 sedan, is now $57,400 plus on-road costs – the cheapest it has been since it went on sale in Australia four years ago.
Its previous low was $59,900 plus on-road costs, which it occupied between July 2021 to early March 2022.
Meanwhile the entry-level, rear-wheel-drive Tesla Model Y SUV is now eligible for government electric-car incentives in a number of states and territories.
The price of the Model Y RWD once the $400 order and $1400 delivery fees are included (but before stamp duty, registration and other on-road costs) is now $67,200.
This falls below the incentive thresholds in various states: $68,750 in New South Wales for a $3000 rebate and stamp-duty exemption, $68,000 in Queensland for a $6000 rebate, $68,750 in South Australia for a $3000 rebate, and $70,000 in Western Australia for a $3500 rebate.
However buyers in Victoria have missed the cut, as application for a $3000 government rebate for vehicles priced below $68,750 – again including order and delivery fees but excluding stamp duty, CTP insurance and registration – was scrapped at 6:00pm last night (30 June).
The US electric-car specialist has historically passed on price cuts to buyers who have placed an order for a Tesla at the higher price, and have yet to pay in full for the vehicle.
Drive has updated its data tables at the bottom of this story to include the latest price cuts for the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y – excluding and including Luxury Car Tax, where applicable. We have taken care to ensure the figures listed are accurate, however please check the Tesla website before ordering to confirm the latest price.
2023 Tesla Model 3 Australian pricing including Luxury Car Tax (where applicable) but excluding on-road costs and order fees
- Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive – $57,400 (down $3900)
- Model 3 Long Range AWD – $70,400 (down $3900)
- Model 3 Performance AWD – $83,400 (down $6955 compared to June 30 price as it now falls below the LCT threshold)
2023 Tesla Model Y Australian pricing including Luxury Car Tax (where applicable) but excluding on-road costs and order fees
- Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive – $65,400 (down $3900)
- Model Y Long Range AWD – $78,400 (down $3900)
- Model Y Performance AWD – $92,020 (down $6395 compared to June 30 price, including LCT)
Tesla Model 3 price changes in Australia
| Price change months (RRPs exclude on-road costs) | Tesla Model 3 RWD | Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD | Tesla Model 3 Performance AWD |
| May 2019 (orders open) | $66,000 | Not available | $88,104 |
| July 2019 (launch) | $66,000 | $87,842 (incl. LCT) | $98,624 |
| December 2019 | $67,900 (no change) | $89,469 (incl. LCT) | $99,869 (up 6.4 per cent) |
| July 2020 | $73,900 (up 8.8 per cent) | $91,613 (up 2.4 per cent) | $102,013 (up 2.1 per cent) |
| October 2020 | $66,900 (down 9.5 per cent) | $83,425 (down 8.9 per cent) | $92,425 (down 9.4 per cent) |
| April 2021 | $62,900 (down 6.0 per cent) | $78,458 (down 6.0 per cent) | $94,058 (up 1.8 per cent) |
| July 2021 | $59,900 (down 4.8 per cent) | $73,400 (down 6.4 per cent) | $86,472 (down 9.7 per cent) |
| Early March 2022 | $60,900 (up 1.7 per cent) | $73,200 (down 0.3 per cent, December 2021) | $86,472 (unchanged) |
| 15 March 2022 | $63,900 (up 4.9 per cent) | $76,200 (up 4.1 per cent) | $91,672 (up 6.0 per cent) |
| 17 June 2022 | $65,500 (up 2.5 per cent) | $80,102 (up 5.1 per cent) | $95,276 (up 3.9 per cent) |
| 6 January 2023 | $63,900 (down 2.4 per cent) | $76,900 (down 4.0 per cent) | $91,395 (down 4.1 per cent) |
| 10 February 2023 | $64,300 (up 0.6 per cent) | $76,900 (unchanged) | $91,395 (unchanged; or $93,900 excl. LCT) |
| 17 February 2023 | $64,300 (unchanged) | $77,300 (up 0.5 per cent) | $91,915 (up 0.5 per cent; $94,300 excl. LCT) |
| 4 April 2023 | $60,900 (down 5.3 per cent) | $73,900 (down 4.4 per cent) | $88,269 (down 4 per cent including LCT) |
| 2 May 2023 | $61,300 (up 0.7 per cent) | $74,300 (up 0.5 per cent) | $90,355 (up 2.3 per cent including LCT; $87,300 excl. LCT) |
| 1 July 2023 | $57,400 | $70,400 | $83,400 (down 8.7 per cent vs June 30 price including LCT; now below LCT threshold) |
Tesla Model Y price changes in Australia
| Price change months (RRPs exclude on-road costs) | Tesla Model Y RWD | Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD | Tesla Model Y Performance AWD |
| 10 June 2022 (orders open) | $68,900 | N/A | $93,900 (excl. LCT), $98,600 (incl. LCT) |
| 17 June 2022 (one week after launch) | $72,300 (up 4.9 per cent) | N/A | $96,700 (excl. LCT), $101,612 (incl. LCT, up 3.0 per cent) |
| 6 January 2023 | $68,900 (down 4.7 per cent) | N/A | $94,900 (excl. LCT), $97,895 (incl. LCT, down 3.7 per cent) |
| 10 February 2023 | $69,300 (up 0.6 per cent) | N/A | $94,900 (excl. LCT), $97,895 (incl. LCT, unchanged) |
| 17 February 2023 | $69,300 (unchanged) | N/A | $95,300 (excl. LCT), $98,415 (incl. LCT, up 0.5 per cent) |
| 4 April 2023 | $68,900 (down 0.6 per cent) | $81,900 (new) | $94,900 (excl. LCT), $97,895 (incl. LCT, down 0.5 per cent) |
| 2 May 2023 | $69,300 (up 0.6 per cent) | $82,300 (up 0.5 pr cent) | $95,300 (excl. LCT), $98,415 (incl. LCT, up 0.5 per cent) |
| 1 July 2023 | $65,400 (down 5.6 per cent) | $78,400 (down 4.7 per cent) | $91,400 (excl. LCT), $92,020 (incl. LCT, down 6.5 per cent due in part to LCT changes) |
Prices listed above include Luxury Car Tax (where applicable) because it is industry practice to include LCT, however Tesla excludes it from its base prices. The RRPs listed above also exclude Tesla's $1375 delivery fee and $350 ordering fee ($150 prior to December 2021), and exclude on-roads costs such as stamp duty, registration, and compulsory third-party insurance. From 6 January 2023, Tesla's delivery fee increased to $1400 and the ordering fee increased to $400. Sources: RJ Pound, Redbook and Tesla. Data compiled by Drive.com.au data centre, Joshua Dowling and Alex Misoyannis.
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