Tesla Model Y lands in Australia

UPDATED 10/06/2022 9:30am: Sources have confirmed to carsales this morning that Tesla Model Y deliveries will commence this weekend, starting Saturday June 11, 2022. It's not clear how many vehicles have landed in Australia but reports are filtering through of Model Y vehicles appearing in Tesla showrooms in Queensland and Victoria today ahead of customer cars.

At the time of publication there was still no change to the Tesla website with official Model Y pricing or specifications, but we expect these to be announced imminently.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE PUBLISHED 09/06/2022 11:00am: Recently-leaked pricing and now photographic evidence of the 2022 Tesla Model Y on local soil indicates the long-awaited launch of the battery-electric mid-size SUV is drawing near.

But don’t get too excited just yet.

The US EV brand’s official comment on the Aussie arrival of the Tesla Model Y is “no comment”.

And given the estimated delivery time for the Tesla Model 3 is now listed as nine to 12 months, potential customers may have to play the waiting game a while longer.

Nevertheless, this is the first time the Tesla Model Y has been spotted publicly in Australia, more than three years after it went on sale internationally.

It’s not clear whether the cars on the transport truck posted on the Tesla Owners Australia Facebook page this week are destined for customers or will be used as test drive and evaluation vehicles.

Tesla was contacted to provide clarity on the just-landed Tesla Model Y cars, but is yet to respond.

Whatever the case, the new photos are concrete proof that the Model Y has begun arriving Down Under, expected to be priced from about $68,000 plus on-road costs for the single-motor rear-drive model, rising beyond the $90,000 mark for the AWD Performance version.

The Tesla Model Y is wider, taller and longer than the related Tesla Model 3 sedan, and although a seven-seat option is available overseas it’s unlikely to be offered in the Aussie market.

Tesla is yet to officially confirm local specification and pricing for the Model Y, but government documents all but confirm an entry-level single-motor Model Y, mid-spec Model Y Long Range and a top-spec Model Y Performance – the latter duo getting twin-motor layouts.

Base-spec single-motor Model Y SUVs are set deliver a 455km range (WLTP), powered by a single 220kW e-motor fed via 62kWh battery pack. Long Range models should be good for at least 370kW of dual-motor power and capable of 600km (WLTP) between charges, thanks chiefly to a denser 82.8kWh battery pack.

Flagship Model Y Performance versions will get the same 82.8kWh battery with slightly less range but more power – around 390kW. Expect a 0-100km/h sprint of less than four seconds for the top-spec Model Y, which is faster than many two-seater sports cars, such as the Toyota Supra.

The Tesla Model Y received local homologation approval in September 2021, however strong demand overseas and production and shipping delays have pushed back its launch.

Aussie-bound Tesla Model 3 and Model Y cars are built at the company’s Shanghai plant, which has also been hit by COVID-19 stoppages this year.

At the time of writing there was no official launch date for the Model Y and the official Tesla website doesn’t allow potential customers to place an order.