Did you know? Tesla cancelled the Cybertruck in Australia and New Zealand after customers waited 7 years
Customers who reserved a Cybertruck back in 2019 in Australia and New Zealand got a cancellation email. Why Tesla pulled out, what it is offering instead, and what it means for Malaysia.
In this article
Imagine putting down a deposit on a truck in 2019, waiting almost seven years, and finally getting an email that says: "sorry, it's not happening."
That's what happened to Tesla customers in Australia and New Zealand last week. On 23 October 2026, Tesla told them its plans to sell the Cybertruck in both countries had been cancelled.
What did Tesla say?
According to Electrek, the email to reservation holders read:
"After careful consideration, plans to produce Cybertruck for Australia and New Zealand have been discontinued."
Deposits refunded, plus a "gift"
- Australian customers paid a A$150 deposit from November 2019, the month the Cybertruck was unveiled.
- The Australian order page actually closed back in May 2022, but deposits weren't refunded then.
- Now, deposits will be refunded within 30 days once customers confirm their refund details.
- As a consolation, Tesla is offering a free one-year FSD (Supervised) subscription, but only if the customer orders a new Model 3 or Model Y. According to autoevolution, it's worth around A$1,788 (A$149 a month).
Plenty of critics think that offer is a bit "not worth it" after a wait of almost seven years.
Why was it cancelled?
1. Left-hand drive only. The Cybertruck is only made in left-hand drive. Australia and New Zealand drive on the left with right-hand drive cars, just like Malaysia. Building a right-hand drive version needs extra engineering work that, according to autoevolution, doesn't make financial sense.
2. Design rules. Australia has its own vehicle design standards. In the European Union, the Cybertruck is still blocked too, mainly over pedestrian safety.
3. Falling demand. Tesla once expected to sell 250,000 units a year. Reality has been far lower. According to Electrek, US sales were around 39,000 units in 2024, and have kept falling since.
Did you know? At the 2024 shareholder meeting, Elon Musk said, "We might be able to certify it for other markets sometime next year." The next year came and went, and that promise didn't happen.
But some countries got it
The Cybertruck did start shipping to a few markets outside the US, including South Korea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Both drive on the right with left-hand drive cars, so no special version was needed.
What about Malaysia?
Malaysia is also a right-hand drive country, just like Australia and New Zealand. In 2024, Tesla Malaysia opened a "register your interest" page for the Cybertruck and brought a display unit here. But according to Carlist.my, that unit was a left-hand drive model from Tesla's Texas factory, and it wasn't for sale.
With the cancellation in Australia and New Zealand, the chances of seeing the Cybertruck officially sold in Malaysia look slimmer than ever.
So...
The Cybertruck is turning into more and more of an America-only product. If you're a fan of the "steel box" design, it looks like you'll have to settle for seeing it on social media for now.
Do you think Tesla should build a right-hand drive version, or is it just not worth it?
Sources
- Electrek, Tesla cancels Cybertruck in Australia and NZ after 7 years of deposits (23 Oct 2026)
- autoevolution, After nearly 7 years, Tesla confirms the Cybertruck isn't coming to Australia (Oct 2026)
- The Driven, Tesla abandons Cybertruck plans for Australia, nearly seven years after deposits taken (23 Oct 2026)
- Carlist.my, No, you can't buy the Tesla Cybertruck in Malaysia, here's why (2024)
