The real story behind this image of Australia's 'Tesla graveyard' - as Elon Musk faces major threat

Some have called it the Tesla graveyard - hundreds of new electric cars parked at the Port of Melbourne, awaiting owners.

Critics argue the scene is a sign that Australia's soaring electric vehicle sales have finally hit a speed bump and are slowing as they have done in other nations.

But industry experts and a report into the global market paint a different picture.

Rather than a graveyard at Australia's ports, they say the scenes prove we're finally becoming a bigger player in the global market for low-emission transport.

They also say Australian drivers are set to benefit from a price war as brands battle for a larger share of the market, and Australia becomes a key target for Chinese automakers facing tariffs in other parts of the world.

(Some have called it the Tesla graveyard - hundreds of new electric cars parked at the Port of Melbourne, awaiting owners -pictured)

(The price of Tesla's Model Y (pictured) electric SUV fell from $69,300 in 2023 to $55,900 this year, at just $1,000 more than the company's entry-level Model 3)

The sea of Model 3 and Model Y vehicles is a welcome sight to Tesla Owners Club of Australia national president Peter Thorne, who recalls when the vehicles were hard to acquire and deliveries took months rather than weeks.

'With Teslas today, you put an order in and you'll get your model faster than you can fill out the paperwork  because  they've got them in the country and inventory is now readily available,' he tells AAP.

The increased rivalry has led Tesla to lower its prices, with two major cuts in April alone.

The price of Tesla's Model Y electric SUV fell from $69,300 in 2023 to $55,900 this year, at just $1,000 more than the company's entry-level Model 3.

Tesla faces strong competition in Australia from BYD which set a record in May with the sale of 1914 vehicles, compared to Tesla's 3567 cars.

Both brands have cut prices, with BYD dropping the cost of its Atto 3 SUV by more than $3.500.

(Australian drivers are set to benefit from an EV price war as brands battle to boost market share. Pictured: The BYD showroom in Sydney)

(Ten Chinese vehicle brands have confirmed plans to launch electric cars in Australia in coming months including Leapmotor, Zeekr, GAC Motor, Geely Auto and Skywell. Pictured: Chinese car brand BYD's showroom in Sydney)

Ref: The real story behind this image of Australia's 'Tesla graveyard' - as Elon Musk faces major threat (dailymail)

Photo Credit-dailymail