Tesla announces Auckland dealership and vehicle prices

Tesla has confirmed a new retail store will open on Auckland’s K Road mid-year, at an event where it handed over the keys to eight Kiwi customers eagerly awaiting delivery of their new Model S sedan.

The company was in Auckland on Thursday to celebrate the official New Zealand launch of the Tesla Model S, with the electric vehicle manufacturer confirming more customers will receive their pre-ordered cars in the coming weeks.

Online cash prices (excluding on-road costs and options) for the Tesla sedan line-up start at $126,400 for the rear-wheel drive Model S 60 (60 kWh battery 408km range) through to the $232,500 all-wheel drive Model S P100D (100 kWh battery 613km range).

Tesla Motors Australia marketing and communications manager Heath Walker told Auto Media Group that company policy prevents him from confirming the number of cars sold in regional markets.

Walker also shied away from commenting on the number of future orders and privately imported Model S cars.

But he did indicate the company knows where the private imports come from.

Walker did confirm that Model S buyers can option two rear facing seats in the boot which converts the car into a seven-seat vehicle. He also clarified that the Model X SUV, with its unique gullwing passenger doors, will be launching in New Zealand this year.

Online prices for the Model X range start at $151,100 for the 75D variant.

Tesla says it is opening its first New Zealand retail store and service centre in mid-2017 at 501 Karangahape Road, Auckland.
It is also commissioning a Supercharger Network in Hamilton, which will be followed by Supercharger installations in Turangi and Sanson before the end of 2017.

Future outlets in Auckland and the South Island will follow at a later date.

More than 100 destination charging units are planned across New Zealand allowing for single or three phase charging at locations including resorts, hotels, shopping centres and public parking buildings.

Tesla is also taking orders for Tesla Powerwall 2 and Tesla Powerpack 2 – the battery storage products for both residential and commercial customers.

Powerwall customers will be able to order these online, where Tesla will work with certified installers to assist in increasing their energy independence by using more solar energy and providing backup.

Fast Drive: Tesla Model S P90D ($162,100 plus on-road costs)

Auto Media Group had the opportunity today to briefly get into the driving seat of the all-wheel drive Model S P90D (90 kWh battery, 557km range) for a quick return trip from central Auckland to the North Shore.

It was the swiftest, most luxurious, and silent test drive we have undertaken.

Chaperoned by Hugh, a technical expert from Tesla Motors Australia, we gently guided the large but silent running P90D through a throng of taxis and buses outside the Auckland ferry terminal and onto the motorway at Stanley Street.

Thanks to dual electric motors powering the front and rear wheels the P90D will accelerate from zero to 100 kilometres per hour in 4.4 seconds to a theoretical top speed of 250 kilometres per hour.

It is the only vehicle we’ve yet driven that can outgun a motorcycle from a standing start on a motorway on-ramp.

The P90D is upholstered in beige leather with matching lower dashboard plastics and contrasting gloss/matte black detailing on the dash. It gives the interior a luxurious and spacious ambience, and the multi-adjustable heated seats are also very comfortable.

Dominating the centre of the dash console is a 17-inch touchscreen with real-time navigation that handily shows traffic congestion, allowing the driver to avoid hotspots if necessary.

The performance of the Model S P90D will be more than adequate for many people, and we were pleasantly surprised at how responsive and nimble it was on the road, being a large and heavy five-seat luxury sedan.