Tesla Semi could find a market in Australia after law change

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The Tesla Semi may find a market in Australia, thanks to a new law from the Australian government that allows wider trucks on the country’s roads.

The new law, which was announced earlier this month, increases the maximum width of trucks by 50 mm to 2.55 meters. This was, at least, if they were equipped with advanced safety systems. The Tesla Semi fits this bill, as the Class 8 all-electric truck is outfitted with a variety of active and passive safety features. 

As noted in a report from Drive.au, Tesla Australia had previously lobbied the government to make the change, as the country’s existing 2.5-meter width limit prevented the company from bringing the Tesla Semi to market. Tesla Australia’s Public Policy Manager Sam McLean highlighted this in December 2020. 

“The clearest immediate barrier from Tesla’s perspective is Australia’s 2500mm width limit in ADR 43/04. The Commission will be aware that given Australia’s small size in comparison to global markets, inconsistencies like this between Australian regulations and larger markets will delay or preclude vehicles coming to local markets. 

“Currently, Australia will likely miss out on the first generation of electric heavy vehicles such as the Tesla Semi because of this,” McLean noted. 

While Australia appears to have opened the door for vehicles like the Tesla Semi, there may be more challenges that the electric vehicle maker may face. The Tesla Semi’s center driving seat may still need to be evaluated if it complies with Australian Design Rules (ADR). 

James Stewart, road safety expert and director of advanced driver-training firm Driving Solutions, warned that Australia’s road systems must be upgraded first before larger vehicles are allowed. 

“It’s smart to get electric vehicles on the roads, but the road system has to be upgraded accordingly – sooner or later, Australia needs to go to a standardized road width. The biggest issue is the size of the road. When you’re talking motorways, you can get away with it (the proposed regulation changes) fairly easily, but when you start looking at most of the rural roads in Australia, they’re not built for that size,” Stewart said. 

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Tesla Semi could find a market in Australia after law change

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Tesla Model 3 Highland unveiled at Owners Club event in France

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Tesla’s refreshed Model 3+, dubbed the Highland, has been making waves in recent weeks, ahead of initial deliveries to a number of markets. During a Tesla Owners Club event in France on Saturday, event organizers unveiled the new Model 3 to a large crowd, as shown in a new video.

The owners club in France held the Tesla Owners Day 2023 event at the Chateau de Savigny-les-Beaune on Saturday, during which a Model 3+ was seen being unveiled in a video posted on X by Esther Kokkelmans (via Sawyer Merritt). In the video, you can briefly see the Model 3 under a car cover before event organizers remove the cover, eliciting cheers and clapping from the surrounding audience members.

It’s not entirely clear when initial deliveries of the new Model 3 are set to begin in France, though they seem to be imminent as Tesla’s order configurator in the country estimates a delivery timeline ranging from October to November on current orders.

The news comes after several Model 3 Highland units were spotted outside Tesla’s Gigafactory Shanghai in the past few weeks, as the automaker ramps up production and begins deliveries to markets across Europe, Asia and other surrounding markets. The vehicle has also been spotted at a number of Tesla’s European showrooms recently, including one in Paris last month.

The new Model 3 redesign includes a number of updated features, both on the exterior and the interior. Along with new headlights and a slightly reshaped front end, the vehicle has a simplified interior with a few additions, like a new blind spot indicator and a unique manual gear selector.

Although the Model 3+ is not yet available in the U.S., it was recently seen being tested on public roads in California. It’s not clear when the vehicle will launch in the U.S. market as of yet, though most expect Tesla to begin deliveries in the country in early 2024.

You can see a review of the Model 3+ from Bjørn Nyland below, showing off a number of the vehicle’s new features.

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Tesla Model 3 Highland unveiled at Owners Club event in France

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Audi discounts 2023 RS and standard e-tron GTs in the U.S.

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Just days after Tesla has announced another round of price cuts in the U.S., German automaker Audi has also begun offering discounts on its 2023 RS e-tron GT and standard GT electric vehicles (EVs) in the market.

Audi is offering a discount on the 2023 RS e-tron GT of $20,000 as of this week, along with deals dropping the price on the standard 2023 e-tron GT by $12,500, as reported by X user Sawyer Merritt in a post on Friday. Audi shared the news of the National Customer Credit in a message to its dealerships, and you can qualify for the price cut when buying or leasing one of the vehicles (via Cars Direct).

The discount marks a 14-percent discount for the RS e-tron GT, and its announcement comes just a few days after EV leader Tesla cut prices on its Model 3 and Model Y vehicles.

Following the discount, the 2023 RS e-tron GT starts at $122,900, while the standard RS e-tron starts at around $93,900. However, the company also notes on its website that its dealership locations determine final prices. The standard e-tron GT is rated for up to 238 miles of range, while the RS e-tron GT offers up to 232 miles.

Currently, Tesla’s rear-wheel-drive Model 3 starts at $38,990 in the U.S., while the RWD Model Y is priced beginning at $43,990. The automaker’s higher-end Model S sedan and Model X SUV start at $74,990 and $79,990, respectively, or buyers can upgrade to the Model S Plaid or the Model X Plaid, both starting at $89,990.

The Model S Plaid offers a range of 396 miles, while the Model X Plaid is rated for up to 333 miles of range. Alternatively, the base-level Tesla Model S offers up to 405 miles of range, while the entry-level Model X is rated for up to 348 miles. Depending on which trim you go with, the Tesla Model 3 can be purchased with between 272 and 333 miles of range, while the Model Y offers between 260 and 330 miles of range.

The news comes after Audi was one of a handful of automakers that didn’t respond to Tesla’s price cuts earlier this year and just a few months after the Volkswagen-owned automaker announced plans to establish a production facility in Mexico.

Tesla Model Y vs Audi RS4 drag race reveals practical sports car winner

What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send your tips to us at tips@teslarati.com.

Audi discounts 2023 RS and standard e-tron GTs in the U.S.

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