Tesla Model S for sale in Australia – but for how much?

Almost two years after the Tesla Model S was released in its home market in the US, the California-based EV maker has named its price for Australian buyers of the fully electric luxury sedan, with deliveries to pre-ordered customers and new purchases set to begin in September.

Following the approval of Australia’s motoring safety body, Tesla has confirmed that the cheapest Model S available to Australian buyers would cost $97,245 – once you factor in Australia’s luxury car tax ($4,808), registration costs ($523), local CTP ($767) and stamp duty ($3,910) – but only for customers in the Australian Capital Territory.

As Tesla’s website shows, the Model S prices vary from state to state and from version to version – there are three: the 60 (60kWh battery), the 80 (85kWh battery) and the “performance” P85 model (85kWh battery). Cheapest in Canberra, the base model costs $101,408 in New South Wales, and $103,133 in Western Australia, where it is most expensive. Screen Shot 2014-06-03 at 1.03.04 PM

A high-end Model S with added optional features, like the P85 Performance Plus model, can almost double the vehicle’s price, with a top-spec Model S P85+ climbing up to $200,602 in Western Australia.

How do these prices stack up? According to The Motor Report, “being able to drive off in a cutting-edge all-electric large luxury sedan for less than six figures is simply astonishing,” especially when considering the Tesla S “emits no greenhouse gasses, will cost peanuts to run and its performance doesn’t lag far behind that of the BMW, Lexus or Infiniti.”

Accordingly, the many Australian buyers lined up on pre-order seem to be forging ahead. But for many other potential buyers, particularly those in the west, the issue of range (390km for the 60kWh battery version) could still be a sticking point.

As Gizmodo notes, Australia’s own super network of dedicated high-speed charging stations is yet to be constructed, although having been confirmed by Tesla CTO JB Straubel, it should only be a matter of time.

A Tesla supercharger is able to restore half a top-end Model S’s rated 500km range in just half an hour of charging, making it possible to travel long distances in the car where the necessary infrastructure is installed.

Comments

12 responses to “Tesla Model S for sale in Australia – but for how much?”

  1. Chris Jones Avatar
    Chris Jones

    While Tesla is to be applauded for taking the initiative, they have taken a leaf from Apple’s book by only providing recharging infrastructure to Tesla customers. So in the next 5 years I would expect most fast charging facilities in Australia to be geared towards the Leaf, iMiEV and BMW i3. The last thing we need is for such a great technology to be restricted to only the wealthiest echelons of society.

    1. Peter Campbell Avatar
      Peter Campbell

      You don’t need to be all that rich. There are 12 iMiEVs on carsales.com.au at the moment, Generally around $20K and low milage, ex-demos. I got one of those late last year. It’s a great town car. Our petrol car stays at home for weeks on end.

      1. Chris Jones Avatar
        Chris Jones

        A Tesla supercharger wouldn’t help your iMiEV though. Don’t get me wrong, I think the Tesla S and their networks are great, but they’re perhaps a bit too exclusive for a place like Australia. We’re pushing to get a community-based charging infrastructure grant scheme going here in the West. The eco-tourism potential is huge.

        1. wideEyedPupil Avatar
          wideEyedPupil

          They’ll have plenty of takers on the Hume and Princess Highways I imagine. Maybe not everywhere but plenty of places if they want to encourage people paying >$100K for a car to go EV not hybrid.

    2. juxx0r Avatar
      juxx0r

      Why don’t you hit up Tesla to pay for your annual holiday, or half your mortgage whilst they’re at it. I’m sure they’ve got nothing better to do than pay for stuff for you even though you’re not even a customer of theirs.

      1. Peter J Bird Avatar

        Tongue in cheek > Maybe Chris can get Labour to pay for it as they will promise the earth (-: But more seriously does anyone know if Model S will be delivered ex:AUS to New Zealand or will Tesla set up a stand alone operation over here in the shakey-isles … Cheers … Peter

        1. Chris Jones Avatar
          Chris Jones

          Hmm, seems my point was not very clear and has been interpreted as me asking Tesla to do stuff for free. No, I am not requesting that Tesla change anything they are doing. I think what they are doing is great. I just don’t think a monopoly on fast charging infrastructure is what Australia needs, given the ever-growing number of EVs in this country. If Oz is to get any FC stations, I would prefer they weren’t all Tesla brand. Competition and diversity is a good thing.

          1. wideEyedPupil Avatar
            wideEyedPupil

            There’s nothing to stop competitors and no shortage of street corner real-estate for competing charging stations for the other EV car brands. I bet they keep it exclusive, like Apple 😉

    3. Tommyk82 . Avatar
      Tommyk82 .

      I must admit I find this point quite intriguing. As you likely know, the use of their supercharger is completely free for Tesla driver for all time. What they’ll almost certainly do, is develop the stations to also charge other EV’s for a price. In any case, it beats waiting around for governments to develop the infrastructure.
      PS, a smaller more affordable unit from Tesla is on the way anyway 🙂

      1. wideEyedPupil Avatar
        wideEyedPupil

        Not so sure, who is going to resolve the “you fried my battery” issue on 3rd party batteries of unknown provenance? Tesla has patents on dual battery software suggesting metal-air or some other kind of range extending second battery for limited cycle use is in the pipeline.

    4. wideEyedPupil Avatar
      wideEyedPupil

      They started at the top at that is very good logic and strategy on their part. The original Tesla roadster was way more exclusive than the S and hopefully after the LUX SUV type ‘X’ they do a family type ‘Y’ aimed at you and me 🙂

      You will note that Apple started with a home enthusiasts PC model and at various times (including now) had superior price/performance characteristics to it’s competitors in the lower range of it’s products while charging premiums for the upper end of it’s range of products (though still sometimes coming in well on cost comparisons with similar kit like new MacPro for e.g. which for a workstation class PC with workstation class components incl. 6 TB2 connectors and dual GPUs is a very good buy)

    5. James Hilden-Minton Avatar
      James Hilden-Minton

      CEO Elon Musk addressed this at the annual shareholder meeting this week. Tesla is open to working with other carmarkers to use the Supercharger network. As yet, no other make of car can handle 130 kW charging. Even Tesla’s first car, the Roadster, is not suited for supercharging. Musk said their will be an upgrade coming this year for the Roadster, and rumor has it that the upgrade will be a retrofit for supercharging. The Supercharger network has nothing to with being elitist, it is about advancing the techology as quickly as possible.

      Musk also said that he is thinking about releasing certain intellectual property to the public as a means to advance EV adoption. This is controversial, especially for shareholders such as myself. I suspect that what will be offered is technology IP needed to create a Supercharger ecosystem. Specifically, other companies may acquire what they need to be able to develop and deploy their own supercharging equipment both to give and receive charges. Such techology devopment may well have application beyond automotive. So such an ecosystem could prove quite exciting to all participants.

      I would also like to make another unrelated point about the high price of the Model S. It can be discouraging to feel that these cars are only available to the wealthy. To be sure Tesla aims to produce third generation vehicle at half the cost of the Model S, possibly by 2017. I am waiting for one myself. The reality is that Tesla is painfully limited by its supply of batteries. They are addressing this aggressively, but in the meantime they are building out all the distribution, service, and charging infrastructure they will need to deliver a more affordable car to the world’s middle class. Beginning with high end vehicles like the Roadster, Model S and next year the Model X is paving the way and paying the way. Again it is not about being elitist. Its about harnessing the economics of high end consumers so that an EV revolution can scale up and benefit all.

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