Tesla cancels Cybertruck in Australia and NZ, refunds A$150 deposits By Luís Henrique Costa
3 min read
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Tesla has ended its plan to produce the Cybertruck in Australia and New Zealand. Reservation holders who put down a A$150 deposit nearly seven years ago will get their money back, and they are also being offered a deal on another Tesla model.
In an email sent on Friday, October 23, 2026, the company said that “plans to produce Cybertruck for Australia and New Zealand have been discontinued.” The message adds that Tesla cannot fulfil the reservations, which will be cancelled with a full refund of any payment made. A Tesla spokesperson told Information Age that the company understands the news “will be disappointing for many” and thanked customers for their early support.
From the 2019 deposits to the 2026 cancellation
- November 2019: reservations open in Australia with a refundable A$150 deposit.
- May 2022: Tesla removes the reservation option from its Australian website.
- 2024: a Cybertruck tours the country on a display trip.
- Late October 2026: emails confirm that the reservations are cancelled.
In 2022, Tesla replaced the reservation page with a sign-up form for news and did not return money to people who had already paid. At the 2024 shareholder meeting, Elon Musk said the company might get the vehicle approved for other markets the following year, which did not happen.
Tesla has previously said that tens of thousands of Australians reserved a Cybertruck between 2019 and 2021. The company has not said how many reservations will be cancelled in the two countries.
See also: Angus Taylor disavows Bragg's superannuation-for-mortgage collateral plan for Australian homebuyers
A left-hand-only truck and rules that call for the opposite
The Cybertruck is built only with the steering wheel on the left. Australia and New Zealand drive on the left side of the road and require vehicles with the steering wheel on the right, which would force Tesla to make engineering and certification changes. In 2025, the local Tesla team was briefed on the changes required by Australian vehicle design rules, including bumper width and external lighting.
The email does not mention right-hand drive or explain the decision. Part of the Australian press links the cancellation to that gap, but Tesla has not confirmed that reason.
The decision does not end production of the pickup. The model is still sold in markets with left-hand drive and remains blocked in the European Union, mainly over pedestrian safety concerns.
Customers must confirm their details before the money comes back
Reservation holders will receive a second email asking them to confirm their details for the refund. After that confirmation, Tesla says it will return the money within 30 days.
- Refund: full return of any payment made, within 30 days after confirmation.
- Offer: one year of Full Self-Driving (Supervised), a driver assistance package, for customers who order a new Model 3 or Model Y.
- Value: the subscription costs A$149 a month, or A$1,788 over a year.
The offer does not apply to anyone who does not buy one of those two models. Model 3 and Model Y are currently the only Tesla models sold in Australia. For holders who keep their reservation, the next step is to answer the second email with their refund details.
