More power to Tesla

Not everyone can afford a luxury electric Tesla vehicle, starting around $100,000, but the launch of the US brand in Australia this month is expected to impact on Western Australia's emerging electric vehicle market, according to the local branch of the Australian Electric Vehicle Association.

Australia’s first electric car trial was undertaken in Perth from 2010 to 2012, proving electric vehicles, or EVs, can work as regular fleet pool cars for most types of use.

AEVA Perth branch chairman Chris Jones said about 120 EVs were driven on Western Australia’s roads, 60 per cent from manufacturers and 40 per cent home built or retrofitted.

“Tesla will absolutely kick start people buying EVs because early adopters will help bring the price down,” Mr Jones said.

Tesla’s Australian arrival follows the RAC agreeing in August to pay about $500,000 for an “electric highway” of 13 charging stations for all models of EVs between Perth and Margaret River.

The location of charging stations was one possible barrier to entry uncovered by the 2010-2012 EV trial.

A Tesla spokesman said it was working with owners to decide on locations for its own supercharger and destination chargers across Australia.

Perth entrepreneur Michael O’Hanlon, who has paid about $160,000 for a 691 horsepower Tesla P85D, agreed with Mr Jones’ assertion that Tesla’s arrival would encourage the uptake of all EVs, including the cheaper Nissan Leaf.

Mr O’Hanlon, whose O’Hanlon Electric Motorsport outfit won the championship title in the electric Formula Xtreme Challenge for motorbikes this year (and who plans to refit his Tesla for racing), travelled to Sydney earlier this month to attend the launch of the Californian company in Australia.

Mr O’Hanlon said the 600 people at the launch welcomed Tesla’s plan to link Sydney and Melbourne with superchargers by the end of 2015 and roll-out others on spec.

While Tesla does not divulge car sales by regions it is understood the company, which has a market cap around $US30 billion, plans to sell more than 30,000 EVs globally this year and has forecast aggressive growth plans.

It’s most popular Model S sells for $97,000+ in Australia and can go 492 kilometres in one charge with its 85-kilowatt hour battery.