Tesla cancels Australian Cybertruck orders after seven-year wait

Deposits for the Cybertruck in Australia and New Zealand are being returned to nearly two million reservation holders. Tesla sent emails on 23 October confirming that orders are void and funds will be processed within 30 days. This ends a wait of almost seven years for buyers who paid A$150 to reserve the electric pickup starting in November 2019.

The company stated it discontinued plans to produce the vehicle for the region after careful consideration. Customers who choose to order a new Model 3 or Model Y instead will receive a free one-year subscription to Full Self-Driving (Supervised). This offer aims to convert existing reservations into sales of right-hand-drive models that Tesla currently manufactures.

The primary obstacle to launching the truck in the region is its left-hand-drive design. Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Japan require right-hand-drive vehicles. Australia also requires specific certification under local design rules, a costly process for a vehicle facing soft demand in North America.

Tesla quietly closed the Australian reservation page in May 2022, replacing it with an update button without issuing refunds at that time. In 2024, the company shipped a unit to Australia for a display tour. Elon Musk told shareholders that year that certification for other markets might occur the following year. No right-hand-drive version followed.

Sales data suggests a redesign may not be financially viable. Tesla delivered 8,295 vehicles in the "Other Models" category during the third quarter of 2026. This category is now almost entirely Cybertrucks. Estimates place quarterly sales at 7,000 to 8,000 units, or roughly 30,000 annually. This figure is far below the production line capacity of 250,000 units per year.

The Cybertruck remains blocked in the EU due to pedestrian safety concerns. International rollout has been limited to left-hand-drive markets, including South Korea, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, and Israel. Australia and New Zealand have a combined population of about 33 million people.

A 2020 crowdsourced survey estimated that Australia held about 3% of all Cybertruck reservations, placing it third globally after the United States and Canada. Tesla never confirmed these regional figures. US sales have dropped from approximately 39,000 units in 2024 to current levels.