Tesla refunds $2,000 deposits after seven years of waiting

Seven years after placing reservations for the Cybertruck in Australia and New Zealand, customers will receive their $2,000 deposits back. Tesla sent an email to reservation holders confirming that plans to produce the vehicle for these two markets have been discontinued.

The company stated it can no longer fulfill orders in the region. It will process the refund within 30 days of the customer receiving an email that verifies their details. As a gesture to affected buyers, Tesla is offering a free year of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) access to anyone who orders a new Model 3 or Model Y.

The decision resolves a long-standing uncertainty about whether the truck would ever reach the region. According to Drive Australia, sources indicated in 2023 that Tesla's Texas factory was not set up to build the vehicle with right-hand drive. That limitation prevents the Cybertruck from being legally driven on public roads in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Ireland.

Tesla has not officially launched the Cybertruck in the UK or the European Union. The vehicle has not obtained any form of regulatory approval from European authorities. It is widely believed the truck will not be approved there due to rules covering crumple zones, pedestrian safety, lighting, and weight classifications.

The truck's sharp edges are seen as a particular hazard to people it might strike. The US Army Customs Agency noted this issue in a notification. The agency said: "Several specifications of the Cybertruck, particularly the sharp-edged, stiff stainless-steel body, violate EU safety standards, primarily for the protection of vulnerable road users."

Despite the lack of official approval, some Cybertrucks have reached Europe. Individual owners have secured single-vehicle approvals by making enough modifications to the truck to satisfy regulators. These workarounds allowed specific vehicles to enter the market despite the general regulatory hurdles.