Tesla refunds $2,000 deposits to Australian and New Zealand Cybertruck buyers

Australian and New Zealand drivers who reserved the Cybertruck seven years ago will receive full refunds of their $2,000 deposits. Tesla sent emails to reservation holders informing them that the vehicle will no longer be sold in either market. The company stated that its plans to produce the truck for these two countries have been discontinued. Customers will have their deposits returned within 30 days of receiving an email that confirms their personal details.

To compensate for the delay, Tesla is offering a free year of Full Self-Driving access to customers who purchase a new Model 3 or Model Y. The benefit applies to the supervised version of the software. This offer serves as a gesture to those who kept their reservations open since the model was first announced.

The decision stems from a manufacturing limitation at Tesla’s Texas factory. According to sources cited by Drive Australia, the facility was not set up to build the Cybertruck with right-hand drive when deliveries began in 2023. This mechanical gap has prevented the truck from entering the Australian and New Zealand markets for several years. The issue is not limited to the Pacific region. The lack of a right-hand drive version also blocks legal sales in the United Kingdom, Japan, and Ireland, where vehicles must be driven on the left side of the road.

Regulatory hurdles in Europe have further complicated the truck’s expansion. Tesla has not officially launched the vehicle in the European Union, and it has not received regulatory approval from local authorities. European rules regarding crumple zones, pedestrian safety, lighting, and weight classifications are cited as obstacles. The truck’s sharp edges are viewed as a specific hazard to people who might be struck by the vehicle.

The US Army Customs Agency recently confirmed these difficulties in a notification to its personnel. The agency stated that several specifications of the Cybertruck violate EU safety standards. Specifically, the sharp-edged, stiff stainless-steel body poses risks to vulnerable road users. The agency advised military members against bringing the vehicles into the region without proper clearance.

Some Cybertrucks have appeared in Europe through individual workarounds. Private owners have secured single-vehicle approvals by modifying the trucks to satisfy regulators. These cases remain rare and require extensive customization to meet local safety requirements. Tesla’s exit from Australia and New Zealand marks the formal end of its attempts to sell the model in right-hand drive markets outside the United States.