If you’ve been waiting to order a Tesla Model 3, the wait is finally over. Tesla has just launched the Model 3 configurator for Australia. Following the US, Canada and the UK, it’s now our turn for the configurator to go live.
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If you’ve reserved a Model 3, then check your inbox, as you’ll likely have an email from Tesla, inviting you to configure your vehicle. While the Model 3 order page is now live in Australia, those who pre-ordered retain their spot in the build cue. You will only have a set period of time in which to configure and complete the order of your car, if not, you will then forfeit your spot.
Now with the order page live, we can finally confirm the Australian pricing for the car. The only indication Tesla had provided before now was the Tweets from Elon that suggested it was a US to AUD conversion, plus import duties and taxes (of which Australia has a number).
The car varies in price depending on the state in which you live, and of course the options you select.
Those options available in Australia are fairly limited, with just a few options for the exterior like paint and wheels, while interior colours have a single choice.
Car model
On offer is 3 models, the Standard Range Plus (RWD) starting at A$66,000 before on-road costs and delivery, unfortunately no (AWD) Long Range model is available, that’s the one I had my eye on. The second option is the Model 3 Performance which starts at A$85,000, but by the time you reach the end of the checkout could be $95,000.
Exterior
The exterior of your car is one of the most important choices you can make, as it adds a level of personalisation. The colours available are: Solid black (included), Midnight silver metallic, Deep blue metallic, Pearl white multi-coat, Red multi-coat.
While the other Model 3 markets offered a choice of wheels, Australia currently only has Aero wheels, something that will disappoint a lot of potential owners.
Even if you select the Performance model, you get 18″ Aero wheels by default, but you can add the Performance pack that upgrades these to 20″, while the standard range plus version gets 18″. The Performance model also comes with a carbon fibre spoiler and dual motor badge, however, these are likely to be fitted after you take delivery.
Interior
The standard interior is black seats, door trims and a wooden strip that runs the width of the dash. Normally you’d have a choice of white interior. It seems Tesla has only made the black available, another choice I was going to make.
Autopilot / Self-driving
Recently Tesla made Autopilot included by default, enabling your car to steer, accelerate and brake automatically, lane centering etc. The only decision you have to make is whether to purchase Full Self-Driving Capability. This features many of the technologies that set Tesla above the other manufacturers in the industry. It is important to know that Tesla hasn’t enabled many of these features in Australia yet. This option costs A$7,100 and you won’t be penalised if you decide to software unlock it later.
Deliveries of the Model 3 in Australia are scheduled for a later this year, after the RHD models are made to order, put on a boat and shipped across the world. For those wanting to know what their place in the cue is, that’s a little harder to say.
The company recently opened the order page for the UK, as well as other RHD markets like Japan, New Zealand and Hong Kong. This means of the total RHD models produced, Australia has to compete with those markets.
The production ramp for the Model 3 has been impressive, but with so many vehicles being produced, the delivery logistics then become a problem. Getting the cars to Australia has another challenge which is simply a geography issue, America is on the other side of the globe and the cars are shipped here by boat. Large cargo ships being fairly slow (maybe Tesla can help with that in the future), it’ll take months for the first shipment of Model 3s to arrive.
The net result is that if you’ve been waiting till today to order, you’re joining a decent list of other owners, many owning an EV for the first time.
Estimated delivery is August 2019.
