Tesla refunds two million Australian and New Zealand buyers after dropping Cybertruck plans

Two million customers in Australia and New Zealand received email notifications on October 23, 2026, stating that their Cybertruck reservations are void. Tesla confirmed that it has discontinued plans to produce the electric pickup for these two markets, ending a wait of nearly seven years for reservation holders.

The company wrote in the brief message that it is unable to fulfill the reservations. Customers will receive a full refund of any payments made, with processing completed within 30 days. Those who choose to order a new Model 3 or Model Y instead will receive a free one-year subscription to FSD Supervised. This offer aims to convert lapsed reservations into sales of right-hand-drive vehicles that Tesla currently manufactures.

Australians began reserving the truck in November 2019 with a A$150 deposit. A 2020 crowdsourced survey estimated that Australia held about 3% of all global Cybertruck reservations, placing it third behind the United States and Canada. By 2023, tracking data suggested total reservations reached approximately 2 million, though Tesla has never confirmed regional figures.

Tesla quietly closed the Australian reservation page in May 2022, replacing the booking form with a button for updates. The company did not refund customers at that time. In 2024, Tesla shipped a Cybertruck to Australia for a display tour. Elon Musk told shareholders that year that the vehicle might be certified for other markets the following year, but no right-hand-drive version followed.

The primary obstacle is that the Cybertruck is built only in left-hand drive. Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Japan require right-hand-drive vehicles. Australia also mandates certification under its own design rules, a costly process for a vehicle facing weak demand in North America. Tesla’s international rollout has so far been limited to left-hand-drive countries, including South Korea and the UAE.

Tesla delivered 8,295 units categorized as "Other Models" in the third quarter of 2026. This category now consists almost entirely of the Cybertruck, as production of the Model S and Model X has ended. Estimates place quarterly Cybertruck sales at 7,000 to 8,000 units, or roughly 30,000 annually, against a production line capacity of 250,000. Australia and New Zealand combined have a population of about 33 million.

The truck remains blocked from the European Union primarily due to pedestrian safety concerns. US Cybertruck sales fell sharply from approximately 39,000 units in 2024. Many Australian reservation holders had likely cancelled their orders previously, as the 2023 vehicle arrived at a higher price with less range than originally promised.