Tesla Motors has reportedly set the date for its Australia launch for Dec. 9, bringing its popular Model S to the country.
The Palo Alto, Calif.-based automaker comes to Australia as major names like Ford, General Motors and Toyota have been pulling out. The Tesla launch, which has been planned for months, will take place in Sydney, according to RenewEconomy.
The Model S will sell for around $97,000 in Australia, where it will compete with BMW and Audi offerings. Tesla's entrance marks the first major release of an electric vehicle in the "land down under."
The automaker's charging infrastructure in Australia will likely be solar-powered, RenewEconomy reported.
"I'm a big proponent of solar. I think the combination of solar and electric cars can actually work extremely well for a country like Japan," Tesla CEO Elon Musk said at the Japan launch last month. "There's actually enough sun on Japan to completely power Japan with just solar. Many times over."
Tesla has spread to China, Japan and other parts of Asia as well as various European markets. The company's unusual direct-sales model has met with opposition in some parts of the U.S., but Tesla stores are still located in states around the country.
The carmaker has 231 supercharging stations worldwide, with more than half of those located in the U.S.
Tesla plans to launch the long-awaited Tesla Model X sports utility vehicle in the U.S. sometime during the third quarter of next year, while a more affordable Model 3 vehicle is slated for 2017.
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