The competitors is getting hotter within the electrical SUV section as Tesla slashes as much as $8500 off the value off its Mannequin Y, elevating questions as as to whether the groundbreaking EV may beat the Ford Ranger to the highest of the gross sales charts in Australia.
Weeks after Toyota and Subaru unleashed their first EVs – and Volkswagen and Skoda are gearing as much as comply with go well with inside months – the Tesla Mannequin Y is now cheaper than it’s ever been following a value reduce throughout all three fashions.
The entry-level Mannequin Y Rear-Wheel Drive now sells from $63,900 plus on-road prices, representing a $1500 low cost on the outgoing mannequin. The value reduce comes after earlier value cuts to make the Mannequin Y cheaper than it’s ever been.
The sudden value drop additionally piles extra strain on the incoming Kia EV5, which has vowed to undercut the Tesla Mannequin Y on pricing.
It additionally has some trade pundits questioning whether or not the Mannequin Y may turn out to be the primary EV to prime the native gross sales charts, even outselling the Ford Ranger.
Reckon that sounds too far-fetched? The March 2024 gross sales figures present the Mannequin Y outsold the Toyota Hilux, which was the highest vendor for seven consecutive years till 2023.
Extra outstanding is the value cuts haven’t been accompanied by cheeky de-contenting, with no modifications to plain gear, though the brand new hues – Quicksilver (gentle gray, $2600), Stealth Gray (darkish gray, $2300) and Extremely crimson (changing Multicoat crimson, additionally $2600) aren’t low-cost.
There’s no clarification for the value cuts nevertheless it’s thought the arrival of the Toyota bZ4X, Subaru Solterra, Ford Mustang Mach-E and the soon-to-arrive Kia EV5 prompted Tesla’s to guard its patch on the prime of the EV gross sales charts.
Competitors is clearly heating up and it appears Tesla desires to take care of the momentum that has seen the Mannequin Y blitz native gross sales information.
Exerting but extra strain on the prime finish of the category would be the inbound Polestar 4, though the Sino-Swedish newcomer gained’t be wherever close to as low-cost with probably the most inexpensive model priced from $81,500 plus on-road prices.
Each energy and vary additionally stay an identical earlier than the value cuts with the Mannequin Y RWD able to a 0-100km/h sprint in 6.9 seconds and a 455km (WLTP) vary, the Lengthy Vary in a position to dash from 0-100km/h in 5.0 seconds whereas protecting as much as 533km on a single cost. On the prime of the Mannequin Y tree, the quickest Efficiency can nonetheless hit 100km/h from relaxation in 3.7 seconds and drive as much as 514km.
![Telsa Model Y in new Quicksilver colour](https://evcentral.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-07-at-8.41.58 pm-1024x549.png)
It’s thought the large value drop for the Tesla Mannequin Y may pave the best way for the introduction of the facelifted Tesla Mannequin 3 Efficiency – due inside weeks – that’s anticipated to deliver a major enhance in energy and acceleration in comparison with the outgoing automotive.
Later this yr the Tesla Mannequin Y is predicted to endure a major facelift – codenamed Undertaking Juniper – that would will usher in lots of the recently-arrived Mannequin 3 updates. That would additionally see costs rise.