EV wait times Australia: how long will you need to wait to get your new electric car?

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If you’re interested in a brand-new electric vehicle and you live in Australia, you’ll want to know how long the delivery times currently are.  

We’ve collated a list of brands that sell electric vehicles in Australia and have found out what the estimated wait times are for the zero-emission BEV vehicles they offer.

From premium brands such as Polestar and Mercedes-Benz to the more budget-friendly importers such as BYD and MG, here are the estimated wait times for EVs as of late August 2023.  

For the most part, we’ve only included EVs that fall below $100,000 before on-road costs, with the clear exception being the addition of the high-tier Mercedes-Benz EQA and EQB models. 

This list does not include upcoming or future electric vehicles such as Volvo’s EX90 and EX30, Ford’s Mustang Mach-E and the Kia EV9 large SUV – just to name a few. 

Information was accurate as of the 29th August, 2023. Wait times are subject to change at any time and are an estimate only.  

Polestar (2)

The updated and heavily revised MY24 Polestar 2 is now on sale, priced from $67,400 before on-road costs. 

Polestar this week confirmed to Chasing Cars that wait times won’t be excessive when ordering a MY24 Polestar 2. The Swedish brand stated a period of roughly six to eight weeks between order and delivery. 

Polestar also has more models in the pipeline, including future releases such as its 3 SUV and 4 SUV coupe. 

Tesla (Model Y, Model 3)

Tesla currently offers two models in Australia. The Model 3 sedan is priced from $57,400 before on-road costs, while the Model Y SUV is currently priced from $65,400 before on-road costs. 

Tesla’s Australian website gives the following delivery periods for these two core models:

Model 3 – Estimated delivery between August to September 2023, or almost immediate delivery. 

Model Y – Estimated delivery between September to November 2023, or up to a three-month wait.

Australian-delivered Teslas are manufactured in the Shanghai Gigafactory, which is one of the reasons why delivery times are likely to be shorter. 

BYD (Atto 3, Dolphin)

The BYD Atto 3 starts from $48,011 before on-road costs, and is up to $51,011 for the extended-range variant. 

The new Dolphin will come with two variants available to buyers, the $38,890 Dynamic and the $44,890 Premium (both before on-road costs). 

BYD states on its local website that there are very short wait times for its BYD Atto 3 for Australia. If ordered now, owners can expect their Atto 3 to arrive in September 2023. 

For the new Dolphin, estimated delivery time for the new electric small car is expected between September and October 2023. 

We reached out to BYD Automotive who said in a statement that “we have stock in the country and available now for the Atto 3s with a consistent flow of vehicles into the country.

“Stock for Dolphins will be consistent into the country once our first shipment arrives”. 

MG (MG4, MG ZS EV)

Pricing for the new MG4 starts from $38,990 before on-road costs, making it the second-cheapest EV in Australia behind the BYD Dolphin. 

We’ve driven the new MG4 and it’s a fun steer, but how long will you need to wait for one?

A spokesperson for MG Australia told Chasing Cars that “the MG ZS EV and new MG4 are in relatively strong supply, although specific colour and grade availability will differ from dealer to dealer as they’re also in high demand.

“If stock isn’t immediately available, delivery could vary anywhere from three weeks to two months, depending on the specific model, specification and colour of the vehicle selected.”

Volvo (XC40 Recharge, C40 Recharge)

Volvo’s XC40 Recharge is currently priced from $76,990 before on-road costs, with the Recharge twin costing $85,990 before on-road costs. 

Volvo also offers the C40 Recharge in Australia, which is priced from $78,990 before on-road costs. The range-topping C40 Recharge Twin costs $87,990 before on-road costs. 

A spokesperson for Volvo Cars Australia indicated to Chasing Cars that “the stock situation has improved significantly. 

“The majority of our retail network now have stock on hand and we have enough vehicles coming through the system to satisfy ‘immediate’ demand,” they said. 

Mercedes-Benz (EQA, EQB)

The Mercedes-Benz EQA is priced from $82,300 before on-road costs, while the larger seven-seat EQB is priced currently from $87,734 before on-road costs. 

On the Mercedes-Benz Australia car locator website, it appears there are a handful of examples in stock in 350 guise, however, at the time of publishing, there were 41 vehicles on their way with arrival dates between September and October 2023. 

But what about the EQB?

The EQB is much better stock on hand, with at least 35 vehicles in the country, ready for immediate delivery. Around 17 vehicles are set to arrive between September and October, also. 

Cupra (Born)

The Cupra Born has been on sale since March 2023, and is the first electric vehicle to be sold by the brand in Australia. It’s priced from $59,990 before on-road costs. 

According to Volkswagen Australia, the current wait time for a Born, if ordered now, is as low as three weeks.

On the official Cupra Australia website, wait times range from three to 13 weeks, on average. 

Kia (EV6, Niro EV)

Kia Australia’s EV6 is currently priced from $72,590 before on-road costs, and extends to as much as $99,590 before on-road costs for the performance-focused GT. 

The Kia Niro EV, meanwhile, starts from $66,590 before on-road costs. 

We spoke with Kia Australia who told us that the average wait time for a Kia EV6 is currently between two to three months across the four variants, which it says is a significant improvement over the 12-month-plus wait times of the past. 

The Niro EV, meanwhile, could take up to between one to four months if ordered today (depending on shipping time).

Hyundai (Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6)

Hyundai currently offers two EVs in Australia, the Ioniq 5 and the Ioniq 6. The Ioniq 5 currently starts from $72,000 in rear-wheel-drive Dynamiq guise.

The Ioniq 6, meanwhile, is currently priced from $74,000 before on-road costs for the rear-drive Dynamiq variant. 

We got in contact with Hyundai Australia who told us that there are at least “1000 units nationwide” of the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6. 

Hyundai also said that there is a good range of variants and colour combinations available, with good production support from the factory.