A new version of one of Australia’s best-selling electric cars could be recalled after the country’s vehicle safety agency declined to issue a rating for the vehicle.
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) said Tesla’s updated Model 3 was not eligible for a five-star rating like its predecessor, and would remain ‘unclassified’ based on information the US car brand had shared about the car.
The announcement could mean the new Model 3, which arrived in Australia in December, will be recalled and shipments halted.
The result would be a new speed bump for electric vehicles, after thousands were recently turned away from Australian waters following the discovery of yellow-spotted stink bugs on board their cargo ship.
Experts said the delay meant Australia missed the expected milestone of 100,000 sales of new electric vehicles by 2023.
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) said Tesla’s updated Model 3 was not eligible for a five-star rating like its predecessor, and would remain ‘unrated’.
ANCAP this week announced its decision to deny a safety rating for Tesla’s latest release, with information from the brand confirming that ‘the five-star safety rating for the Tesla Model 3 cannot be applied to facelifted vehicles at this time’.
ANCAP chief executive Carla Hoorweg said the group recommends consumers carefully consider a vehicle’s safety rating before purchasing.
“ANCAP encourages all consumers and fleet buyers to prioritize purchasing vehicles that are confirmed to have a current ANCAP five-star safety rating, ensuring the highest levels of safety,” she said.
“There remains plenty of choice for consumers who want to buy a newer, safer vehicle.”
The updated Tesla Model 3 has a more aerodynamic exterior, a redesigned interior, a touchscreen in the back seat and an extra airbag.
Concerns have been raised about the change to the child seat anchorage point at the rear of the car, but customer photos show the anchor was no longer clearly or easily accessible.
ANCAP chief executive Carla Hoorweg said the group recommends consumers carefully consider a vehicle’s safety rating before purchasing
Concerns have been raised about the new car’s change to the child seat anchorage point at the rear of the vehicle, which was no longer clearly or easily accessible
The Australian draft rules state that passenger cars must be fitted with anchors for child seats and that ‘no items need to be removed to access the upper anchorage’, except ‘shutoff plugs and items that can be moved without tools’.
If Tesla breaks the rules, it will be the second time an electric car has breached Australian guidelines, after sales of the BYD Atto 3 were halted in 2022 due to a similar issue.
Tesla could be forced to issue a physical recall for the new vehicle, or it could be given a notice to stop deliveries.
Any action could have a significant impact on the market, as the Tesla Model 3 was Australia’s second most popular electric car in 2023, with sales of more than 17,000 new vehicles, compared to more than 10,000 in 2022, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive. Industries.