Teslas are notoriously expensive - costing from $85,300 - but Queanbeyan resident Tim Mifsud thinks his new purchase will save him money in the long run.
"For me, the environment was a factor, but it had to make financial sense as well for me and my family. Everyone is different, and not everyone can afford a Tesla. We will be paying about $530 a fortnight for the privilege," he said.
"When I crunched the numbers of the Tesla compared to a new petrol car, it came out cheaper in the long run to buy the Tesla, compared to something like a [hybrid]."
He said he would charge the car using solar panels on his roof.
According to a recent report, the ACT is leading the nation - just behind NSW - when it comes to electric vehicle policy. Electric Vehicle Council rated the territory eight out of 10, a significant higher grade than the federal government which only rated three out of 10.
"The ACT has traditionally been a national leader in progressive electric vehicle policy and has continued to complement these efforts over the past 12 months," Electric Vehicle Council chief executive Behyad Jafari said.
"Financial incentives through tax rebates have been complemented by two years free registration and a $15,000 interest free loan."
Electric vehicles are popular in the ACT because it is an affluent and environmentally conscious community with lots of rooftop solar, Warwick Cathro from the Australia Electric Vehicles Association said.
New owner Mr Misfud, who is waiting excitedly for his Telsa to arrive, said the downside of buying the electric vehicle was the upfront cost.
"With current incentives in NSW and ACT and cheap loans for EVs ... while also letting you have a car loan over seven years instead of the usual five years, makes it manageable for us," he said.
He said while price was his primary consideration, the environmental impact was a welcome plus.
"How nice to know that if I am idling at the lights, in a traffic jam, or at the school pickup, I'm not polluting the air our kids breathe," he said.
"Tesla released a report last week detailing how their cars are pretty much 100 per cent recyclable and carbon neutral within a few years of driving them."
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