A revealing photo of new Teslas idling at an Australian port has revealed the challenge facing the industry in Australia.
While Elon Musk’s electric vehicles were once pre-sold before even entering Australia, an alarming image captured countless rows of idling cars in Port Melbourne.
Industry experts believe the reason for the apparent boycott of Tesla electric vehicles is poor charging infrastructure coupled with a highly competitive market, with many Australians now buying cheaper Chinese-made electric vehicles.
Every month, 2,000 Teslas arrive at the Port of Melbourne, but Peter Anderson of the Victorian Transport Association has warned that very few are leaving.
‘Suddenly we have a huge backlog of Teslas that aren’t moving. They just stopped moving,” he told Seven News.
Teslas usually arrive in this country pre-sold, these cars do not. They are sitting here waiting for buyers.
An alarming image has captured thousands of Teslas idling at a car yard in Port Melbourne.
Tesla sales fell by two-thirds in April this year compared to the same period last year, according to the NRMA.
Total electric vehicle sales fell five percent in April after three consecutive years of substantial growth.
The situation has become so dire for Tesla that the company was forced to drastically cut its prices.
A rear-wheel drive Tesla Model 3 was on the market for $61,900 late last year, but now costs $54,900.
Similarly, a rear-wheel drive Tesla Model Y was $65,400 but is now priced at $55,900.
Other electric vehicle companies have also been forced to reduce prices as drivers opt for more affordable Chinese models.
In fact, China’s BYD sold more cars globally than Tesla in 2023.
Its cheapest model, the BYD Dolphin, sells for $38,000.
Meanwhile, the European-made 2023 GWM Ora is on sale for $35,990.
It comes after US company ChargePoint closed its 46 charging stations in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland on February 1.
ChargePoint installed its first electric vehicle station in Australia in 2010 and expanded along the country’s east coast as the popularity of electric cars among motorists increased.
However, in 2020 the brand stopped maintaining its charging ports in Australia, operating its network of stations through remote support from the US.
