Tesla Ends Cybertruck Plans for Australia and New Zealand

After a nearly seven-year wait, Tesla has officially terminated its plans to sell the Cybertruck in Australia and New Zealand. The move signals the end of a long-standing reservation process that began in late 2019, leaving thousands of customers across the two countries without the electric pickup they originally pre-ordered.

Reservation holders received notifications this week informing them that their orders have been cancelled and their deposits will be refunded. Tesla confirmed that all payments made will be returned within 30 days. In an effort to retain these customers, the company is offering a free one-year subscription to its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software for anyone who opts to purchase a new Model 3 or Model Y instead.

The cancellation email, which began circulating on social media and Reddit platforms this morning, was brief. Tesla stated that after careful consideration, production of the Cybertruck for the region has been discontinued. Consequently, the company is unable to fulfill the existing reservations, which have been formally voided.

The timeline of this delay has been a source of frustration for local buyers. Australians began reserving the truck with a deposit of A$150 in November 2019. By 2022, Tesla quietly closed the Australian reservation page, replacing it with a button to receive updates, but did not refund customers at that time. In 2024, the company shipped a Cybertruck to the region for a display tour, and CEO Elon Musk told shareholders that certification for other markets might occur the following year. However, the right-hand-drive version never materialized.

The primary obstacle has been the vehicle's design. The Cybertruck is currently manufactured only in left-hand drive, whereas Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Japan require right-hand-drive vehicles. Additionally, Australia has specific design certification rules that the truck must meet. Re-engineering the vehicle for these markets would require significant investment, a hurdle that is difficult to justify given the truck's current sales trajectory in North America.

Recent financial data supports the decision to pull back from right-hand-drive markets. In Q3 2026, Tesla reported delivering 8,295 units under the 'Other Models' category, which now consists almost entirely of Cybertrucks since Model S and Model X production ceased. Estimates suggest Cybertruck sales were between 7,000 and 8,000 units in that quarter, representing an annual pace of roughly 30,000 units. This is a fraction of the 250,000 units per year that the production line was originally built to handle.

This announcement follows Tesla’s Q3 2026 earnings report, released just one day prior. The company has successfully launched the Cybertruck in several left-hand-drive markets, including South Korea, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, and Israel. However, the vehicle remains blocked from entry into the European Union, primarily due to pedestrian safety regulations.

For the Pacific Northwest and other left-hand-drive markets, the Cybertruck remains available, but its international expansion is now limited to regions that do not require right-hand-drive modifications. The decision underscores that the vehicle is becoming a more niche product, with Tesla focusing on maximizing sales in existing markets rather than expanding into new ones that require costly engineering changes.

While some Australian reservation holders may have already canceled their pre-orders due to changes in the truck's price and range since 2019, the official cancellation provides closure for those who remained. The shift reflects a broader strategy where Tesla is prioritizing the sale of right-hand-drive sedans and SUVs over the development of a specialized right-hand-drive pickup truck for smaller markets.