2026 Tesla Model 3 now Australia's longest-range EV

The Tesla Model 3 is now the longest-range electric vehicle (EV) available in Australia, following the introduction of a new Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) variant of the mid-size electric sedan for the 2026 model year. 

Priced at $61,990 before on-road costs, the new Model 3 Long Range RWD offers up to 750km (WLTP) of range on 18-inch wheels, which is more than the 706km claim of the Polestar 3 Long Range Single Motor large electric SUV on 20-inch alloys.

It’s also more than the Model 3 Long Range AWD variant’s 629km of range from its 97kWh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt (Li-NMC) battery, which previously offered the longest range in Tesla’s local lineup and costs $3000 more.

The move makes the Model 3 and Polestar 3 the only EVs in Australia to crack 700km of range, with the best-selling Tesla Model Y mid-size electric SUV offering up to 600km in Long Range AWD guise.

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The release of the extended-range Model 3 comes after Tesla opened the largest Supercharger site in the Southern Hemisphere, in Goulburn southwest of Sydney, which is one of 163 Tesla charging sites and brings to more than 1000 the number of Tesla charging plugs in Australia. 

Available from October 3, the more efficient Model 3 is part of a 2026 model year update that also brings a battery upgrade for the flagship Model 3 Performance. 

The MY26 Performance variant’s Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt (NMC) battery pack extends the sports sedan’s range from 528 to 571km (WLTP), but doesn’t change its rapid 3.1-second 0-100km/h claim or 261km/h top speed. 

Pricing remains unchanged at $80,900 before on-road costs, and the MY26 range also brings black badging across the lineup.

Australian-delivered Model 3s will continue to be sourced from China, but there’s no word on whether indicator stalks – which were previously removed – will make a comeback in vehicles sold here.

The Model 3 was Australia’s third-best selling EV in the first half of 2025, beaten to second place by the BYD Sealion 7 mid-size electric SUV, which arrived in local showrooms in February.

Both were thoroughly beaten by the perennial best-seller, the Tesla Model Y, which posted 10,431 sales to more than double the Sealion 7’s sales of 3756.

Massive discounts of up to $11,000 for pre-facelifted Model Y vehicles helped boost the brand’s local sales in August, when Model Y sales were up 74.7 per cent month-on-month, followed by a 162 per cent spike in September, solidifying its position as the nation’s top-selling EV. 

Last month Tesla also enabled Australian owners who had previously purchased its so-called Full Self-Driving (FSD) system the ability to switch it on. Also available to purchase by new customers, it’s available for Model 3 and Model Y vehicles equipped with Hardware (HW4) cameras. 

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