Seven Years Later, Tesla Refunds A$150 Cybertruck Reservations

Thousands of drivers in Australia and New Zealand can finally put their long wait for the Tesla Cybertruck to rest. The electric automaker has officially canceled all reservations for the vehicle in these regions, meaning that the money paid to hold a spot in the line is coming back. For many, this ends a period of uncertainty that began in late 2019 when they first paid to secure a future delivery.

The process for getting their money back began immediately. Customers received emails on Thursday informing them that their orders are now void. Tesla stated that the reservation has been cancelled and that a full refund for any payments made will be processed within 30 days. In an effort to retain these customers, the company is also offering a free one-year subscription to its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software for those who choose to order a new Model 3 or Model Y instead.

This decision brings a close to a seven-year period of anticipation. Australian consumers began paying A$150 to reserve the truck in November 2019. Although Tesla had not confirmed specific regional numbers, a crowdsourced survey from 2020 indicated that Australia was the third-largest market for reservations behind the United States and Canada. By 2023, total global reservations were estimated to be around two million.

The cancellation follows a long history of delayed timelines. Tesla quietly closed the Australian reservation page in May 2022, replacing it with a button to receive updates, but did not refund deposits at that time. In 2024, a Cybertruck was brought to Australia for a display tour, and then-CEO Elon Musk told shareholders that certification for other markets might happen the following year. That next year arrived and passed without a right-hand-drive version appearing.

The primary obstacle remains the vehicle's design. The Cybertruck is currently built only with a left-hand-drive configuration. Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Japan all require right-hand-drive vehicles. Additionally, Australia requires certification under its own specific design rules. Tesla has noted that the cost of re-engineering the truck for these markets is difficult to justify given current sales figures.

Recent data suggests the volume does not support a major investment. Tesla delivered only 8,295 units in its 'Other Models' category during the third quarter of 2026. This category now consists almost entirely of Cybertrucks since production of the Model S and Model X has ended. Analysts estimate that Cybertruck sales were between 7,000 and 8,000 units last quarter, which translates to an annual pace of roughly 30,000 vehicles. This is significantly lower than the production line's capacity of 250,000 units per year.

The truck has found success in left-hand-drive international markets. Deliveries began in South Korea late last year and in the UAE in January. Configurator options are now available in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, and Israel. However, the vehicle remains blocked in the European Union, primarily due to pedestrian safety concerns.

For reservation holders, the outcome confirms that the Cybertruck is becoming a niche product. While some customers had already canceled their pre-orders due to price increases and range adjustments, this official notification provides finality. Tesla is now focusing its international expansion on selling the existing left-hand-drive trucks to markets that can accommodate them.

Today's announcement follows one day after Tesla reported its third-quarter 2026 earnings. The company's decision to discontinue plans for the region signals a shift in strategy, prioritizing markets that do not require expensive mechanical changes to the vehicle's current platform.