Australian customers who reserved a Tesla Cybertruck back in 2019 have finally received an answer about when their electric pickup will arrive. Unfortunately, that answer is never, as Tesla has officially canceled plans to bring the Cybertruck to Australia and New Zealand.
The announcement comes nearly seven years after Tesla began accepting refundable reservations from Australian customers. Buyers initially paid A$150 to secure a place in line, hoping to eventually get their hands on the futuristic electric pickup.
Despite the long wait, the Cybertruck never received a right-hand-drive version, which would be necessary for a conventional Australian market launch. It’s also uncertain whether its unusual design could satisfy local vehicle regulations.
Tesla has now confirmed that the project is no longer going ahead, ending years of uncertainty for reservation holders. The company is offering refunds, along with an additional incentive for customers willing to buy a different Tesla.
Tesla Is Refunding Cybertruck Deposits
According to Australian automotive outlet Drive, Tesla informed reservation holders that plans to produce the Cybertruck for Australia and New Zealand have been discontinued. Existing reservations will be canceled, with customers receiving full refunds of any payments made.
Tesla is also offering affected customers one year of free Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software if they purchase a new Model 3 or Model Y. The subscription is valued at A$1,788, although customers must buy another vehicle to receive the benefit.
The cancellation is a disappointing outcome for buyers who placed reservations shortly after the Cybertruck’s 2019 unveiling. Tesla stopped accepting new Australian reservations in 2022, but existing deposit holders were left waiting.
Right-Hand Drive Was A Major Obstacle
The Cybertruck is manufactured in Texas exclusively with left-hand drive, and making an Australian version could be a major engineering undertaking. Its sharp-edged stainless-steel body also raised questions about compliance with Australian Design Rules, particularly pedestrian protection requirements.
In 2025, Tesla Australia’s country director Thom Drew said the company was working to determine whether a right-hand-drive Cybertruck was feasible. He suggested that the exterior design could be kept largely unchanged, although engineering modifications would be necessary.
Tesla even brought a left-hand-drive Cybertruck to Australia and New Zealand for a promotional tour. However, that appearance never translated into a confirmed local launch.
Slowing Sales Make The Decision Less Surprising
The Cybertruck has also struggled to maintain sales momentum in the United States. According to Cox Automotive figures cited by Drive, American sales fell from 38,965 units in 2024 to just 20,237 in 2025.
That decline makes the expense of developing a right-hand-drive version harder to justify, especially for markets with additional regulatory requirements. Tesla has not publicly detailed the financial reasoning behind its cancellation.
For Australian customers who reserved a Cybertruck nearly seven years ago, the wait is officially over. They’ll get their deposits back, but the electric pickup they originally signed up for won’t be arriving at local Tesla dealerships.