NZ’s most popular passenger car in September was an EV

Following a remarkable month of deliveries no doubt made more difficult by New Zealand’s Covid-19 lockdown period, the Tesla Model 3 has registered a record-breaking month of sales. 

According to data published by the Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency, a remarkable 1066 Model 3s were registered in September, lifting the brand to third spot for outright market share. 

The result represents a record for local Tesla registrations, and more evidence of a strong local uptake in plug-in vehicles off the back of the government’s Clean Car Discount scheme. 

Electric vehicle specialist outlet EVs & Beyond reports that Tesla were able to carry out deliveries during the challenging lockdown conditions by delivering cars to those in Level 2 areas outside of Auckland directly, while also hosting staged daily delivery sessions from its Auckland base once the city moved from Level 4 to Level 3.

MG also had a strong month for its ZS EV. The country’s cheapest electric car, priced at $48,990 before rebates, sold well, with 328 registered according to the NZTA statistics. 

Full sales data courtesy of the Motor Industry Association is still on the way. It’s expected to be released to the media early next week. 

With most distributors likely dealing with a back-up of delayed deliveries due to Level 4 restrictions (Level 4 restrictions were relaxed for most of the country on September 1, with Auckland only falling to Level 3 on September 22), it’s expected that most brands will have enjoyed fruitful months of sales. 

This is in stark contrast to August, which was the worst month of the year for several marques. For reference, 6,746 new vehicles were registered in August, with the Ford Ranger and Toyota Corolla topping the charts on 671 registrations and 447 registrations, respectively.