OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has expressed frustration after his attempt to get a refund for a $50,000 Tesla Roadster reservation failed, nearly eight years after pre-booking the much-hyped electric sports car.
Altman shared a post titled “A tale in three acts,” including screenshots of his 2018 Roadster booking and a failed email exchange while trying to cancel it in October 2025. The tech executive, who was among the early supporters of electric vehicles, appeared disappointed by Tesla’s unresponsive refund process.
“Hi, I'd like to cancel my reservation. Could you please refund me the $50k?” Altman wrote in an email to Tesla’s reservation address.
However, his message bounced back with an automated error stating the address reservations@tesla.com could not be found. “I really was excited for the car! And I understand delays. But 7.5 years has felt like a long time to wait,” he added in his post.
MKBHD Also Canceled His Tesla Roadster Booking
Altman isn’t the only well-known figure to face issues with Tesla’s refund process. Popular YouTuber and tech reviewer Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) revealed in September that he had canceled one of his two Roadster reservations, initially placed in 2017.
“Tesla has been sitting with my 50 grand for eight years and hasn’t done anything with it, obviously,” Brownlee said during his Waveform Podcast. He explained that he paid an initial $5,000 deposit, followed by $45,000 within ten days, for each of the two cars.
After several days of unreturned voicemails and messages, Brownlee eventually received a $45,000 refund check, but Tesla retained the $5,000 non-refundable portion. Tesla’s just had that money the whole time. I could have done so much with that. I’ll do something else with it now,” he added.
The Elusive Tesla Roadster
Tesla first unveiled the Roadster in 2017 as a revolutionary performance-oriented electric vehicle. The company claimed it could accelerate from 0–96 km/h (0–60 mph) in 1.9 seconds, reach a top speed of 402 km/h, and deliver a range of nearly 997 km (620 miles) on a single charge.
However, the Roadster has never entered production. Nearly eight years after its announcement, the car remains in “design development,” according to Tesla’s July 2025 earnings report.
Elon Musk previously referred to the Roadster as “the cherry on the icing on the cake,” suggesting that projects like the Model Y, Cybertruck, and Robotaxi have taken precedence over the high-end sports car. In 2024, Musk reiterated that other priorities were delaying its release.
The refund challenges faced by Altman and Brownlee have renewed debate over Tesla’s reservation and refund policy. While partial refunds are offered for some mainstream models, the policy for limited-edition vehicles like the Roadster remains unclear.
Several early reservation holders have also voiced similar concerns on online forums, reporting delays or communication gaps when seeking refunds for long-pending pre-orders.
As production delays continue, early supporters who paid hefty deposits years ago are now demanding greater transparency and accountability from Tesla regarding refunds and future timelines for the long-promised Roadster.
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