Tesla Model Y and BYD Atto 3 lead the way as Chinese-built electric vehicle sales soar in Australia

August 8, 2023August 8, 2023 Bruce Newton 4223 Views BYD Atto 3, MG S EV, model y, sales, Tesla, Vfacts

The Tesla Model Y continues to lead the electric car surge in Australia, finishing fourth outright on the sales ladder in July.

According to the official VFACTS figures, there were 3330 examples of the battery electric SUV sold in Australia last month.

While the Model Y dropped back from the incredible high of 5560 sales and second outright in June, it was still only beaten in the sales race by the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux utes and the cheap and cheerful MG ZS SUV.

Add in 604 Model 3 sedan sales and Tesla claimed eighth overall in July with 3934 sales. It also sits eighth for the year with 29,511 sales.

Hybrid mainstay Toyota remains the top-selling brand in Australia head of Mazda and Ford.

Tesla’s tally is obviously the key to the 385.4 per cent growth year on year for EVs in Australia to 49,938 sales, compared to 10,289 to the end of July 2022.

It is also a big reason the popularity of Chinese-made cars is exploding in Australia, as both the Model 3 and Model Y are made in Shanghai.

Chinese cars sit number three behind Japan and Thailand in terms of popularity in Australia.

BYD is the other electric brand contributing big numbers to both the EV and China climb, selling 1005 Atto 3s in July and 7201 for the year so far. That tally will spiral when the BYD Dolphin arrives.

The MG4 also starts deliveries this month in Australia and that will have a positive impact on EV and China sales tallies.

In a record overall July for new vehicle sales in Australia, EVs accounted for seven per cent of volume. For the year they have a 7.35 per cent market share.

The July total of 6846 EV sales was down on the record June high of 11,042 sales.

Add in hybrids and plug-ins and the combined electrified share of the market was 17.9 per cent.

Notable contributors to EV sales in July included the affordable new GWM Ora, with 57 for the month and 122 for the year so far; the almost-as-new Cupra Born with 86 and 260; the Hyundai Ioniq 5 with 78 and 526; the Kia EV6 with 167 and 702 and the Polestar 2 with 306 and 1453.

While it’s not broken out in the public VFACTS figures, the MG ZS EV is likely to have accounted for around 10 per cent of overall ZS sales in July.

Other EV month/year sales broken out in the VFACTS report included:

Audi e-tron GT: 13/212

BMW i4: 20/116

BMW i7: 3/33

BMW iX: 40/557

Genesis GV60: 22/141

Hyundai Ioniq 6: 42/342

Jaguar I-Pace: 4/24

Lexus RZ: 29/99

Mazda MX-30: 63/375

Mercedes-Benz EQA: 71/464