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Chinese car giant BYD has taken the lead in the electric-car sales race in Australia for the first time – after becoming the world’s top seller of battery-electric vehicles globally in the final months of last year.
However, the victory may be short-lived as last month Tesla suffered from less stock than anticipated – as a shipment of Model Y SUVs was turned back to China after stink bugs were found on board – and it had to stop Model 3 deliveries for nine days to resolve a compliance breach.
BYD reported 1310 new vehicles as sold – across 465 Atto 3 SUVs, 256 Dolphin hatchbacks, and 589 Seal sedans – compared to 1107 Tesla cars, across 723 Model 3s and 384 Model Ys.
It is not a record for BYD – in June 2023 it reported 1532 deliveries. Tesla’s best monthly deliveries result in Australia is 7018 vehicles, reported in June 2023.
Last year Tesla reported 46,116 vehicles as delivered, compared to 12,438 BYDs – though the Chinese brand only had one model on sale for nine months of the year.
January 2024 is the lowest monthly Tesla sales result in Australia since July 2022, when it recorded just four deliveries following a COVID-19 outbreak which triggered a shutdown of its Shanghai, China factory.
The drop in Tesla sales saw electric cars account for 5.4 per cent of new-vehicle sales last month – or 7.3 percent of passenger car and SUV sales – compared to 7.2 and 9.8 percent for calendar-year 2023.
Tesla sales are likely to return to their usual form in the coming month as deliveries of the updated Model 3 ramp up – now the compliance breach has been addressed – and the stink bug-infested ship is cleaned and returns to Australia.
Meanwhile, BYD is due to introduce a plug-in hybrid ute and mid-size SUV before the end of this year.
