Tesla Refunds 2 Million Cybertruck Deposits in Australia and New Zealand

Tesla has ended the wait for electric pickup buyers in Australia and New Zealand by voiding their reservations and returning their money.

Customers began receiving notification emails on October 23, 2026. The messages stated that Tesla is discontinuing plans to produce the Cybertruck for these two markets. The company confirmed that full refunds will be processed within 30 days.

Crowdsourced tracking data placed total reservations at approximately 2 million units by 2023. A 2020 survey suggested Australia held about 3% of all global Cybertruck orders, ranking third behind the United States and Canada. Tesla did not officially confirm these regional figures at the time.

Reservation holders had the option to switch to a new Model 3 or Model Y. Those who accepted this alternative received a free one-year subscription to Full Self-Driving (Supervised). This offer likely aimed to convert dead reservations into sales of vehicles Tesla actually manufactures for right-hand-drive markets.

The primary barrier to entry was the vehicle's design. The Cybertruck is built exclusively in left-hand drive. Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Japan all require right-hand-drive vehicles. Australia also requires specific design certification, a costly process for a model facing weak demand in North America.

Tesla has expanded the truck only to left-hand-drive countries. Deliveries started in South Korea in late 2025 and the UAE in January 2026. Configurators are now available in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, and Israel. The vehicle remains blocked in the European Union due to pedestrian safety concerns.

Sales figures show limited global demand. Tesla delivered 8,295 units in the "Other Models" category during the third quarter of 2026. This category now consists almost entirely of Cybertrucks. Electrek estimates annual sales at 30,000 units, far below the production line's capacity of 250,000 per year. Australia and New Zealand together have a combined population of about 33 million.