The terms and conditions stipulate that the deposit is non-refundable, so is Tesla really to blame here?
December 31, 2024 at 10:45
- A Tesla Cybertruck reservation holder says the company put him in a tight situation.
- He was allegedly told to either take delivery by December 30, or forfeit his $2,500 deposit.
- It turns out that he agreed to these stipulations when he placed the reservation.
It turns out that getting your hands on a Tesla Cybertruck might be just as nerve-wracking as waiting for it in the first place. One hopeful owner is finding out the hard way that Tesla doesn’t play nice when it comes to deadlines or refunds. According to him, the company has given him a simple ultimatum this holiday season: take delivery now or kiss $2,500 and his spot in line goodbye. Happy holidays, right?
Despite his requests for a little breathing room, Tesla seems uninterested in bending its rules. And, based on the fine print, it’s hard to say he didn’t see this coming.
More: Brand New Cybertruck Leaks Oil After 3 Days, Tesla Needs A Month To Fix
Right now, ordering a Cybertruck requires a $250 non-refundable order fee. That’s different from the deposit that a Facebook user put down by a factor of ten. He dropped $2,500 to configure a truck and on December 28 received word from Tesla that he had to accept delivery now or lose that money. “You have exceeded your final hold on your Cybertruck and have been assigned a truck that is on island readily available,” reads a message reportedly from Tesla service.
According to his own post on the Tesla Cybertruck Owners group on Facebook, he needs more time, which is what he allegedly told the company rep. They simply responded “Your order will be cancelled with your deposit forfeited.” Butcher pleaded that this didn’t seem fair and that he would like the deposit to go to a future purchase of a Cybertruck.
Based on the details provided and Tesla’s response, it seems clear that he agreed to these terms when placing his order. While he doesn’t explicitly clarify, all signs point to this being a confirmed order rather than a simple reservation—likely involving specific options or configurations. If that’s the case, does it mean Tesla is entirely in the right here, and the customer is in the wrong? It’s a tricky situation, but the fine print seems to be working in Tesla’s favor.
Interestingly this isn’t the only non-refundable part of the Cybertuck buying experience. At some point in mid-2025, the automaker plans to launch the battery range extender for the truck. In October, it increased the non-refundable deposit for the accessory from $500 to $2,000. Perhaps this is just a lesson to be careful about counting your eggs before they hatch.
