Prepaid km vs weekly rental vs owning vs a car loan: the honest version
Whether you're a commuter, a family, between cars or driving rideshare, no made-up savings figures here. Just our own prices, how each option works, and who it suits. Then you can do your own maths.
Standard prepaid km: used, without FSD (Supervised), incl. GST
| Pack | Model 3 | Model Y |
|---|---|---|
| 500 km | A$320 (≈64c/km) | A$350 (≈70c/km) |
| 1,000 km | A$590 (≈59c/km) | A$640 (≈64c/km) |
| 2,000 km | A$760 (≈38c/km) | A$840 (≈42c/km) |
| 9,000 km | A$1,990 (≈22c/km) | A$1,990 (≈22c/km) |
Premium Prepaid KM: FSD Option Now Available (incl. GST)
These are prepaid km prices. FSD (Supervised) is an extra subscription on top of your prepaid km, priced by Tesla.
| Pack | 2027 Model 3 RWD | 2027 Model Y RWD |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 km | A$650 (≈65c/km) | A$730 (≈73c/km) |
| 2,000 km | A$1,240 (≈62c/km) | A$1,400 (≈70c/km) |
| 5,000 km | A$2,950 (≈59c/km) | A$3,350 (≈67c/km) |
| 9,000 km | A$4,190 (≈47c/km) | A$4,590 (≈51c/km) |
Side by side
| Prepaid km (Charge Drive) | Weekly rental | Owning outright | Car loan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What you pay for | The km you drive | Every week, driving or not | The full price, plus every running cost | Repayments plus interest, plus every running cost |
| Quiet weeks and holidays | Your km wait for you | Rent keeps ticking | Rego and insurance keep ticking | Repayments, rego and insurance keep ticking |
| Up-front | Starter pack (9,000 km, A$1,990 standard). No bond | Often a bond plus the first week | The full price | Usually a deposit, plus fees |
| Insurance, rego, maintenance | Included (at-fault excess applies) | Usually included, depends on the provider | All yours | All yours |
| Charging or fuel | Yours | Yours | Yours | Yours |
| Depreciation | Not your problem | Not your problem | Very much your problem | Your problem, while you're still paying |
| Credit check / loan approval | No loan | No loan | No loan | Yes |
| Lock-in | None | Varies by provider | Until you sell | The loan term (early payout fees may apply) |
| Flexibility to stop | Hand the car back any time | Usually notice periods | Selling takes time and effort | Sell and pay out the loan |
| Freedom to modify or keep forever | No | No | Yes | Yes, once it's paid off |
| Full Self-Driving (Supervised) | Premium plans only: an extra subscription on top of your prepaid km (priced by Tesla). Standard: not available | Depends on the car | Tesla subscription, priced by Tesla | Same as owning |
Private driver? Do the maths in 2 minutes
Write down what owning or financing really costs you each year: loan repayments or the money tied up in the car, interest, rego and CTP, comprehensive insurance, servicing and tyres, and depreciation (what it'll be worth when you sell). Divide by the km you drive in a year. Then compare that with about 22c/km on our standard 9,000 km pack, which already includes insurance, rego and maintenance. Charging is on top in both cases. General information only. It's not financial advice.
What prepaid km costs per week (example only)
These are km costs only, worked out from the 9,000 km pack (A$1,990, about 22.1c/km). Charging, tolls and any excess are extra.
| You drive about… | km cost per week |
|---|---|
| 150 km/week (light private use) | ≈ A$33 |
| 300 km/week (typical commute) | ≈ A$66 |
| 500 km/week | ≈ A$111 |
| 1,000 km/week | ≈ A$221 |
| 1,500 km/week | ≈ A$332 |
Your real cost depends on the packs you buy and how far you drive. Prepaid km never expire as long as you top up at least once every 8 weeks, so a light driver's 500 km top-up simply adds to the balance and none of it goes to waste.
Who each option suits
- Prepaid km: everyday drivers who'd rather not own a car, families, people between cars, people trying a Tesla before buying, rideshare drivers with up-and-down weeks, and anyone who hates paying for a car that's parked.
- Weekly rental: people who drive a lot every week and want one fixed number. (We also list Rideshare Ready unlimited-km weekly rentals: Model 3 and Model Y.)
- Owning outright: people who keep cars for years, want to modify them, and are fine carrying depreciation and running costs.
- Car loan: people who want to own eventually and are comfortable with repayments, interest and a fixed term.