Three Tesla vehicles were destroyed and a showroom building was damaged after a fire broke out at the company’s Parramatta store in western Sydney early on Tuesday morning.
Tesla Australia has called it a “suspected arson attack” as police open an investigation into the case.
NSW Police said officers from Cumberland Police Area Command attended the scene at 45 Church Street, Parramatta, shortly after 3:20 AM local time “following reports of multiple vehicles found alight.”
Fire and Rescue NSW extinguished the blaze and no injuries were reported, according to local media outlets.
Tesla moved quickly to attribute the fire to a deliberate act rather than a vehicle malfunction as police begins an investigation.
Below is a video shared earlier this Tuesday on X.
“Tesla Australia has confirmed a Tesla Store has been the subject of a suspected arson attack overnight, the building has suffered fire damage with several vehicles being caught in the fire,” a company spokesperson said.
“Tesla has confirmed this is not a vehicle or battery-related fire. Police are now investigating the arson attack on the building.”
NSW Police said the cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
What Is Known
Petrol was used as the accelerant, according to Nine News, which reported that jerrycan lids were discovered near the dealership.
The fire was initially thought to have resulted from a battery explosion before the physical evidence pointed to a deliberate attack.
Aaron Ross from Fire Rescue NSW said crews deployed a significant response.
“We dispatched a pretty heavy weight of attack on this fire, it did extend into the ceiling space, but we were able to quickly contain the fire to the area of origin,” Ross said.
He added that the point of ignition was clear. “It is quite obvious and just taking a quick look there that these fires have started at the front of some of these vehicles,” Ross said.
Videos of the burning vehicles circulated widely on social media on Tuesday morning, with multiple users sharing footage on X and TikTok showing flames engulfing vehicles on the showroom forecourt.
The Parramatta showroom is located on Church Street in an area where multiple automakers operate dealerships. No showrooms belonging to rival brands were damaged in the incident.
Police are reviewing CCTV footage from nearby streets to identify those responsible and determine a motive.
No suspects have been named as of publication time.
The Parramatta showroom is one of Tesla‘s growing network of stores across Australia, selling the Model Y and Model 3.
The location on Church Street sits next to a GAC dealership — a Chinese state-owned automaker headquartered in Guangzhou.
FSD in Australia
Tuesday marks the last day of the outright purchase option for its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software in Australia and New Zealand.
From April 1, FSD will only be available as a monthly subscription at AU$149 per month (NZ$159 in New Zealand), ending the AU$10,100 one-time purchase option.
Tesla launched FSD Supervised in Australia and New Zealand via an over-the-air update in September 2025, making them the first right-hand-drive markets to receive the software.
The transfer of Enhanced Autopilot and FSD Supervised between vehicles also ends on Tuesday, March 31.
Tesla Model Y L
Separately, Tesla‘s China-exclusive Model Y L — a three-row version of its best-selling SUV — was approved for sale in Australia in late February, according to documents published by the Department of Infrastructure’s Road Vehicle Regulator (ROVER).
The approval was first issued on February 12 and could expand Tesla‘s Australian lineup beyond the current Model Y and Model 3 range.
The entry-level Model Y Premium Rear-Wheel Drive is currently priced from AU$58,900, rising to AU$64,200 with on-road costs.
The Performance All-Wheel Drive variant starts at AU$89,400.
Pattern of Attacks
The incident follows a global wave of vandalism and arson targeting Tesla facilities that escalated throughout 2025, linked to the political activities of CEO Elon Musk.
Most attacks were specifically related to Musk’s involvement in US President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and his leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency, which was tasked with reducing US federal spending.
Attacks ranged from showrooms vandalised with graffiti to stores and charging stations set alight.
In March 2025, a suspected arson attack near Toulouse, France, destroyed eight Tesla vehicles and severely damaged four others at a dealership. French prosecutors said evidence indicated the fire was “not at all accidental.”
