Tesla has some good, yet pricey, news for those on the right (no, we aren't talking politics).
The report is for hundreds of Tesla Model S and X owners in Australia whose orders for new electric vehicles were nixed when the company decided not to make the vehicles for right-hand driving configuration, according to a story from The Driven, an EV news site Down Under.
Now, Tesla is offering to upgrade older Aussie S and X models with new, larger batteries. The 90-kilowatt-hour or 100-kilowatt-hour upgrades cost about $17,500 and $29,250 (USD, as of mid-November), respectively, all per The Driven.
A Model X (seven-seater) owner referenced by The Driven is aiming for a 273-mile range with the upgrade. That would be a nearly 81-mile improvement.
"... with a new warranty … then that might be worth it," another driver, EcoBenno (@ecobenno) posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
If the upgrade gets the car to the 489km expected range of a 90D... with a new warranty... then that might be worth it. Where's this news from Nash. Any more detail? 🙏
— EcoBenno (@ecobenno) October 29, 2023
Tesla lists the starting price for the Model X at $68,590 (USD), assuming federal tax credit and estimated gas savings. In 2017, it started around $80,000, per cars.com.
The company has recently lowered prices in the United States, in part because of deliveries that "missed market expectations," CNBC reported.
In Australia, EV sales were up 202% during the first nine months of 2023. There were more than 65,000 EVs registered during that time. Tesla is the far-and-away leader, with nearly 38,000 vehicles sold, all per CarExpert.
However, a long list of other brands also have market share, including BYD. Its Dolphin is being marketed there as a cheaper alternative, at the equivalent of around $26,000 (USD) per CarExpert as of October.
However, Tesla has some perks to keep its customers in the Musk camp. Continued, unlimited supercharging for Aussie Tesla owners will remain.
"That may be a good option for some owners who would like to keep their unlimited supercharging status as well, helping them travel farther with the ever-increasing supercharger sites across the country," Riz Akhtar wrote about the upgrade offer for The Driven.
And, while it's not a new car, it appears to be welcome news for at least some Tesla owners posting on X (also owned by Elon Musk).
"I deliberately and specifically wanted this upgrade. Hope it helps others out there who want to go down this path," Tesla in the Gong (@TeslaGong) posted.
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