First Tesla Model Y cars arrive Down Under

UPDATE, June 2022: Model Y now on sale in Australia

The Model Y is finally now on sale in Australia. Get all the details at the link below.

The story to here

The first examples of the Tesla Model Y SUV have landed in Australia from the American manufacturer's Chinese plants.

According to Tesla trackers VedaPrime, three Model Ys are now on local shores, each representing the available Standard Range Plus, Long Range and Performance variants.

It is unclear whether the vehicles have arrived for Tesla's own workshops to explore the new vehicle or for Government departments to provide certification, having not yet been ANCAP crash tested or approved for homologation by the Department of Infrastructure.

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Right-hand-drive production of the Model Y kicked off last month in China with the first units expected to land in Hong Kong, followed by examples arriving locally later this year or in early 2022 from the Shanghai plant – the home of Australian-delivered Model 3s.

Expected to go on sale for roughly $5000 more than the Model 3 Standard Range Plus – which recently received a price drop to just below $60,000 – the Model Y will feature similar features to the sedan but in a taller, more spacious body, packing a 190kW motor on the rear axle in base trim.

Carrying over the specs of the Model 3, the Long Range and Performance variants of the Model Y will gain a larger battery pack, all-wheel-drive and higher power, justifying the extra $13,500 and $26,500 premium respectively if pricing remains in line with the sedan.