Tesla has abandoned plans to bring the Cybertruck electric pickup to the Australian and New Zealand markets. The company notified reservation holders via email nearly seven years after pre-orders opened in November 2019.

Tesla’s notification states that, after careful consideration, the Cybertruck release plan for Australia and New Zealand has been canceled. The company did not disclose detailed reasons for the decision. Customers have been promised a full refund of their deposits: in Australia, the deposit was 150 Australian dollars. Refunds are scheduled to be issued within 30 days once account details are confirmed.

Alongside the notification, Tesla offered former reservation holders an alternative. When ordering a new Model 3 or Model Y, they will be eligible for a complimentary one-year Full Self-Driving (Supervised) subscription. This offer is tied to purchasing another vehicle and is not intended as monetary compensation for the long wait.

One of the potential obstacles to launching the Cybertruck in these markets was the need to modify its design. The pickup is manufactured with left-hand drive, whereas Australia and New Zealand have left-hand traffic requiring right-hand drive. A full-scale launch would also require certification under local regulations. However, Tesla has not officially cited these factors as the reason for the cancellation.

Cybertruck reservations opened in 2019, when Tesla was counting on mass production of the model. The Australian order page was removed from the company’s website back in 2022, but deposits placed earlier were not automatically refunded. In 2024, Tesla brought the pickup to Australia for promotional showcase events, yet a right-hand-drive production version never materialized.