Tesla now a top 10 selling brand as Model 3, Model Y storm up the sales charts

Tesla has barged its way onto the list of top selling brands with record Australian EV sales in August 2022.

And for the first time in Australia an electric car is one of the top selling vehicles, albeit for just a single month.

Official sales figures released today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries show Tesla sold 3397 vehicles last month – a record for the electric car brand.

And with 2380 sales the Tesla Model 3 sedan was the fourth best selling vehicle in the country, outsold only by the Toyota Hilux (6214), Ford Ranger (4497) and Toyota RAV4 (2482).

Tesla sold more than twice as many Model 3s as Toyota sold Camrys, reinforcing the rapid shift in interest to electric vehicles.

The newly-arrived Tesla Model Y was also comfortably the country’s top selling mid-sized SUV priced over $60,000. Tesla reported 1017 Model Ys as being sold, making it the 12th best selling SUV on the market, outselling stalwarts such as the Honda CR-V (781), Subaru Forester (580), Kia Seltos (869) and Toyota C-HR (533) in the process.

READ MORE: Tesla Model 3 vs Tesla Model Y

“We have seen strong sales of battery electric vehicles in August, with Tesla alone selling 3397 vehicles,” said FCAI chief executive Tony Weber, noting that EV sales accounted for 4.4 percent of the market – more than double the 2021 total.

“This is the highest market share for pure battery electric vehicle ever recorded for a single month in Australia.”

With just two models, Tesla was the seventh best selling brand in the country, outselling brands with vast model ranges.

Tesla’s 3397 sales in August were more than Volkswagen (2868), MG (3074), Subaru (2960), Honda (1260), BMW (2395), Mercedes-Benz (2386), Audi (1350), Nissan (1666), Jeep (682) and Lexus (477).

It’s also worth putting the latest figures in perspective. For more than a year the vehicle sales figures haven’t always been representative of real demand due to the supply challenges that have inflicted the entire automotive industry globally.

Many car makers have lengthy waiting lists that would otherwise bolster their sales beyond the reported figures.

And Tesla is playing catch-up following months of slow sales due to shutdowns at the factory in China that produces all its cars sold here.

Still, it’s fair to say the brand’s sales have taken many in the industry by surprise.

The Model 3 has been a rare sedan winner in a market fast shifting to SUVs of all shapes and sizes.

The Model 3 trounced the Toyota Corolla (2115), Hyundai i30 (1975) and Mazda3 (1500), for example.

Tesla as a brand also accounted for 80 percent of all EV sales.

Kia and Hyundai – which have the most serious competitors to the Model Y – managed miniscule EV sales in comparison. Kia sold just 80 EV6s and Hyundai just 72 Ioniq 5s (their respective head offices won’t send vehicles in big volumes, citing a lack of CO2 emissions regulations).

COMPARISON TEST: Tesla Model 3 vs Kia EV6 vs Polestar 2 vs Hyundai Ioniq 5

Polestar – which is suffering from serious supply shortages – reported only 38 Polestar 2s sold in August, well below its recent totals.

While newcomer BYD started delivering its Atto 3 electric SUV last month, it did not register any sales with the FCAI for August. BYD believes its potential to supply thousands of EVs each month will make it one of the top selling electric car brands in Australia.

Top 10 selling vehicles for August 2022

Position	Make and Model	August 2022 sales
1	Toyota Hilux	6214
2	Ford Ranger	4497
3	Toyota RAV4	2482
4	Tesla Model 3	2380
5	Mazda CX-5	2325
6	Toyota Corolla	2115
7	Mitsubishi Triton	2087
8	Hyundai i30	1975
9	Isuzu D-Max	1928
10	Toyota Prado	1903

Top 10 selling brands for August 2022

Position	Brand	August 2022 sales
1	Toyota	20,616
2	Mazda	8824
3	Kia	6780
4	Hyundai	6643
5	Mitsubishi	6380
6	Ford	5839
7	Tesla	3397
8	MG	3074
9	Subaru	2960
10	Volkswagen	2868