Tesla Fights Back At Everything Electric With Model Y Update

Australians got a taste of the avalanche of new EVs heading our way at the Everything Electric show in Sydney, where Tesla unveiled its latest offering in a bid to counter increased competition.

From the sensible and affordable to the radical and racy, an influx of electric cars is set to shake up the Australian market – and plenty were on display at the Sydney event held from March 7-9.

The stars included an array of models from the updated Tesla Model Y and Kia EV3 to the Audi S6 e-tron and Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid, as well as a plethora of shiny machines from brands many Aussies haven’t heard of.

Fancy an SUV that transforms into a ute? The Deepal E07 could be for you.

There was even a Zeekr with more power than an F1 car.

Sexy new metal – including bikes, scooters and trucks – served as the headline act at Everything Electric 2025, but the latest solar and EV charging tech was also on display, making it easier for Aussies to electrify.

It’s that diversity into the electrified ecosystem that Dan Caesar, CEO of event organiser Fully Charged, said makes Everything Electric appealing to those wanting to learn more.

“Unlike the steady state car industry … this is a whole ecosystem and [consumers] want to understand it,” he said.

Caesar believes Australia is on the precipice of an EV boom, although he adds that 2025 may end up being “quite flat” in terms of raw sales numbers.

“I think the Australian market will go quite fast. The cars here are as cheap as they’re going to be anywhere in the developed world. The competition is fuelling that,” he said.

Despite a drop in the growth of EVs, the sheer number of new brands and models from existing players makes a boom inevitable, he argued.

“We never get too hung up on short term trends, we always look at the longer-term trends,” said Caesar, pointing out there were “about a dozen new cars that haven’t been shown before”.

Tesla Fightback

The new Tesla Model Y  “Juniper” revision on show in Sydney

Headlining Everything Electric 2025 was the heavily updated Tesla Model Y, as the EV powerhouse seeks to push back against declining market share.

The so-called Juniper revision to the top seller in the country is big news ahead of first deliveries in May.

Tesla is (unsurprisingly) talking a big game for the heavily revised Y. One of the cars on display was the affordable model that will be priced below the launch editions which have almost sold out.

That Model Y on its own likely dragged in some of the circa-30,000 visitors that came through the doors of the Sydney Showground over three days.

“It’s the biggest new unveil we’ve ever had at the show,” said Caesar, who points to the dozens of newcomers looking to take a slice of Tesla’s share.

“It’s not the only game in town any more … the competition now is absolutely fierce,” said Caesar of the EV market.

Unknown Brands Make Their Mark

Zeekr put its best foot forward with a range of EVs on show.

Of the 18 shows Fully Charged has hosted around the world, Caesar says Sydney 2025 was the biggest in terms of new models.

“That’s the most (car makers) we’ve had in one show,” said Caesar.

The Sydney Showground hall was packed with newcomer EV brands, including recent new arrivals such as Zeekr, Deepal, Leapmotor, Farizon and Skyworth. It’s a great way to look, smell and touch brands that in some instances can be difficult to find out in the wild (many have a miniscule showroom presence).

Several brands showcased models that are months away, or yet to be confirmed for the Australian market.

Zeekr had some of the highlights, including the quirky Mix people mover that features funky swivelling seats and sliding doors. It’s clearly sizing up the Volkswagen ID.Buzz, the head-turning EV take on the Kombi and another of the many options that showgoers could get up close and personal with.

The Zeekr 001FR also gives an idea of what’s possible in the EV world. The Porsche-chasing wagon features 930kW of power – more than 1300 horsepower, exceeding a Formula 1 car.

XPeng showed off its “flying car”, which looks a lot more like a mini helicopter or a drone than anything you’re likely to spot in peak-hour traffic. But the brand also had plenty of real cars, including the X9, one of the new breed of tech-laden people-movers that look set to change the game.

The influx of Chinese brands has already changed the market, a trend set to continue.

Traditional Car Makers Join The Party

Kia was one of the traditional car makers to promote its EV range, including the affordable EV3.

There were also plenty of familiar brands, including BMW, Kia, Audi and Volkswagen.

Yep, traditional car makers increasingly want in on the EV party too.

Kia showed its soon-to-arrive EV3, which is set to become the brand’s most affordable model with a circa-$50K starting price.

Volkswagen is finally getting serious with EVs, too, with its ID.4 and ID.5, while sister brand Skoda showed off the upcoming Elroq.

And Audi went big as it plays catch up to its German rivals on the EV sales front.

As well as the recently arrived Q4 and Q6, the brand showed off the sporty S6 that was flown out (yep, it’s expensive!) ahead of a late 2025 on-sale.

Ford had a small stand but a big presence with its Ranger PHEV now on sale ahead of mid-year first deliveries.

It can drive purely on electricity but has the back-up of a petrol engine for heavy hauling and longer distances. It’s a critical model for the blue oval brand in the face of the first fuel efficiency standards introduced here.

Behind The Wheel

The real appeal for many with Everything Electric is the chance to get behind the wheel.

Dozens of cars were on offer for test drives, allowing people a taste test of some cars that aren’t even in dealerships yet.

Caesar anticipated up to 10,000 test drives across the three days of the show, with many brands booking out early on.

Plenty of cars were off-limits, though, including the new Model Y and some of the high-performance stuff (previous years seem to have shown some car makers that queues of enthusiasts will quickly form for the really sexy stuff).

But there were also dozens of interesting machines hitting the road, including those new Volkswagens, various BMWs, the BYD Shark 6 and some from Zeekr, among a healthy carpark covering many brands.

On The Grid

Australian battery manufacturer RedEarth showed off its V2G offerings.

There was also no shortage of fresh fare from charging companies and energy suppliers, all keen to jump in early for those looking to make the EV switch.

Now that vehicle-to-grid has been approved for Australia and we have a national plan in place, there’s a sprinkling of options for hardware to enable the tech on cars that are set up for it.

One is Australian battery manufacturer RedEarth that says it will soon start selling a V2G-enabled box that also integrates an EV charger.

The single-phase version is due mid-year ahead of a 22kW three-phase option later in the year.

No word on what it will cost, which could be the clincher, but it’s indicative of increasing interest in V2G. For more on the possibilities of this emerging new option for EV drivers, read our comprehensive explainer on bidirectional charging.