The first Tesla Model Ys have arrived in Australia, which seemingly confirms that an Australian release date is coming soon.
According to VedaPrime tracking, three Model Ys have landed on Aussie shores this week, likely to be tested and certified ahead of a local release.
I am excited to announce the 1st #Tesla Model Y has been detected on Oz shores in Vedaprime tracking. A release candidate model has arrived. This could be being used by Tesla for Australian certification, crash testing, or to educate staff on the new model.
#modelYau ???????????? pic.twitter.com/V1IaNOczln— VedaPrime (@VedaPrime) August 3, 2021
Interestingly, it has been confirmed that the three vehicles are right-hand drive models, which means they’re likely our first look at the exact model we’ll be getting in Australia.
The Tesla Model Y isn’t expected to drop in Australia until at least early 2022, but the vehicle will need to undergo a number of tests — including ANCAP safety testing and homologation — before it can be added to the Road Vehicle Certification System and be available for sale.
At the time of publishing, the Model Y has not been listed in the Road Vehicle Certification System, but it is unclear if Tesla has imported the vehicles for this purpose, or for their own training.
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According to the Australian website, the Model Y offers a 505km range and acceleration from 0-100km/hr in as little as 3.7 seconds.
Tesla Australia representatives have remained pretty tight-lipped about exactly when we’ll be getting our hands on the Model Y, but if the early 2022 release date estimate is accurate, we could see preorders open as early as this month.
There’s no official word on the cost just yet, but Hong Kong pricing suggests the Model Y will set you back approximately $5,000 more than the Model 3. This means Australians will likely be looking at approximately $65,000 plus on-road costs.
The news comes after it was revealed that Tesla CEO Elon Musk initially didn’t want the Model Y to have a steering wheel, which prompted the team to simply develop the car behind his back, according to allegations made in the new book Power Play: Tesla, Elon Musk, and the Bet of the Century.
Gizmodo Australia has reached out to Tesla for comment.