Tesla fightback begins as new Model Y deliveries commence

Tesla’s sales fightback has begun, with the EV pioneer commencing deliveries of its heavily updated Model Y SUV.

A ship with 3500 new Teslas docked in NSW last week, providing the first big batch of customer cars for the model codenamed Juniper. The first of those are now reaching their owners.

The arrival is welcome news for the electric car maker, which has seen a sales slump of 59 per cent in the first four months of 2025. The slowdown came off the back of increased competition across the EV landscape, as well as negative sentiment towards the brand following the political activities of CEO Elon Musk in the US.

“We’re going to be very, very busy,” said Thom Drew, Tesla Australia country director, when asked about the coming months.

“There’s 3500 [vehicles] on this current vessel that’s arrived and there’s thousands more to come.”

Of the 3500 cars that have arrived in Australia, most are the updated Model Y – mainly limited-edition Launch Series cars – and almost all have been pre-sold, according to Drew.

“The vast majority of those vehicles on that vessel are sold.”

If Tesla can deliver 3500 cars in May it would broadly match the May 2024 sales tally of 3567 cars, giving the brand some welcome sales news off the back of months slow sales.

Drew said there will be logistical challenges as the company ramps up its deliveries around the country, with Melbourne deliveries of the new Model Y slated for the next few days and Brisbane and other states to follow soon after.

“It’ll certainly be a hard slog getting through the volume we want to achieve,” he said, adding that Tesla often has its biggest results at the end of a quarter. Its biggest ever sales month in Australia was June 2023, when 7018 vehicles were reported as sold.

The challenge for Tesla will be maintaining the anticipated sales momentum as EV competition intensifies.

“The market has evolved and it is a more challenging task to convince the early majority to move to EV,” said Drew.

“There’s a lot of competition in the market trying to do the same thing – I think that’s a positive. I think we’ve all got our work cut out for us to get people not buying into hybrids and buying a transitional product for now.”

The focus for the brand continues to be the Model Y SUV, which since 2021 has been the top selling electric car in the country – and was the top selling vehicle in the world in 2023 and 2024.

The Model 3 continues to be a dominant force in the medium car category it competes in. However, the four-door sedan came under pressure last month from the Toyota Camry.

While the Model 3 has been the top selling passenger car in Australia in 2023 and 2024, the Camry’s strong April result has edged it ahead of the rival Tesla in the year-to-date sales race.

Both the Model 3 and Model Y have benefitted from the fringe benefits tax (FBT) exemption currently available on electric vehicles.

Drew says about 60 per cent of Teslas sold are financed under a novated lease that facilitates the FBT tax break.

Join the conversation at our Facebook page
Or email us at editor@carsales.com.au