Tesla cancels Cybertruck plans in Australia and New Zealand
Tesla has cancelled plans to sell the Cybertruck in Australia and New Zealand, telling customers with reservations that the programme has been discontinued. The decision disappoints people who had waited years for the electric pick-up, and raises questions about the costs and practicalities of bringing it to those markets.
Tesla said it would cancel all reservations and refund the refundable A$150 deposits, many paid around seven years ago. It had stopped taking Australian reservations in 2022 and has not publicly given a reason for the cancellation. The US entry-level model was listed at about US$75,000, or roughly A$106,000 before shipping and taxes; import costs, right-hand-drive conversion and local vehicle standards could have pushed the Australian price higher.
In short
- Tesla has dropped Cybertruck plans for Australia and New Zealand.
- Reservation holders will receive refunds of their A$150 deposits.
- Price and local vehicle standards may have been factors.
Explained simply
Tesla is a US company that makes electric cars and sells them in markets around the world. The Cybertruck is its electric pick-up, a type of vehicle with an open load area at the back; Tesla first took reservations from some Australian and New Zealand customers years before deliveries were expected.
Vehicles built for the US are generally set up for left-hand-drive roads, while Australia and New Zealand drive on the left and require right-hand-drive vehicles. Adapting the Cybertruck and meeting local safety and vehicle rules could add cost, alongside shipping and import charges.
The decision affects people who placed reservations and raises questions about whether the Cybertruck could be sold at a workable price in those markets. Tesla said it would cancel the reservations and refund the refundable A$150 deposits; it has not publicly explained its decision.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Elon Musk’s Tesla pulls the plug on Cybertrucks Down Under – as Aussies who waited years for the futuristic vehicle are told they’ll never get their cars”.