The Tesla Model Y has won Carsales Best Electric Car for 2023 from six of Australia’s most affordable EVs.
With more than 50 EVs now available in Australia – priced from under $40,000 to almost 10 times that amount and covering almost all body styles – Carsales whittled the field down to six new or upgraded finalists priced under the luxury car tax (LCT) and fringe benefits tax (FBT) exemption thresholds for fuel-efficient vehicles ($89,332), including three hatchbacks, two SUVs and one fastback.
Each of the six finalists was then assessed against more than 100 criteria across five key areas – safety, technology, comfort and convenience, driving performance and ownership costs, as supplied by RedBook.com.au.
The Tesla Model Y came up trumps after solid scores in all assessment areas, which included energy density, driving range and recharging times.
“The Model Y’s overall package made it a deserving winner and a genuine force outside the expanding EV space – providing a compelling reason for those considering hybrid and petrol cars to look at an electric SUV,” says Carsales consumer editor Nadine Armstrong.
“With one of the biggest load areas of any five-seat SUV and among the most affordable to run, the Model Y still wins on tech and charging, and makes it a Best EV winner.
“As well as taking out the award, the Tesla Model Y is the most searched electric car on carsales.com.au, followed by the Tesla Model 3 and Kia EV6,” Armstrong adds.
Carsales.com.au has seen significant growth in online EV activity, with new/demo (1008%), used (78%) and dealer (249%) listings all up considerably year-on-year to August 2023.
Searches for hybrids (30%), plug-in hybrids or PHEVs (31%) and EVs (47%) are also up year-on-year to August 2023, reflecting the growing interest and consideration from Aussies looking to go electric.
“Our recent Carsales onsite survey found 42% of respondents have considered purchasing an electric vehicle and around 24% say they believe they’ll be driving an EV by 2030,” says Armstrong.
Carsales Best Electric Car 2023 finalists included the Cupra Born, GWM Ora, Hyundai Ioniq 5, MG4, and Polestar 2.
The EV Live Stage at the Carsales Melbourne EV Show September 22-24 features Watts Under the Bonnet: The Electric Vehicle podcast hosts Greg Rust and Nadine Armstrong.
