Post by : Rameen Ariff

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shared his frustration after being unable to secure a $50,000 refund for a Tesla Roadster he pre-booked in 2018. Taking to social media, Altman posted screenshots showing the original reservation and the error message received when attempting to cancel his order in October 2025.

In a post titled “A tale in three acts,” Altman explained that while he had been excited about the Tesla Roadster, waiting 7.5 years for its delivery prompted him to cut his losses. He wrote, “I really was excited for the car! And I understand delays. But 7.5 years has felt like a long time to wait.”

However, when he attempted to contact Tesla for a refund, his email to reservations@tesla.com bounced back, leaving him unable to get his $50K back. This highlights the ongoing difficulties some customers have faced in dealing with Tesla’s pre-orders for the highly anticipated Roadster.

Altman is not alone. Popular YouTuber Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) faced similar challenges when cancelling one of his two Roadster bookings made in 2017. Despite paying an initial $5,000 and an additional $45,000 shortly after, Brownlee struggled to cancel the reservation, eventually receiving only $45,000 back from Tesla.

The Tesla Roadster, unveiled by Elon Musk in 2017, was touted as a high-performance electric vehicle capable of 0–96 kmph in 1.9 seconds and a top speed of 402 kmph, with a 620-mile range. Despite the fanfare, the car has yet to enter production. In 2024, Musk cited other priorities delaying the Roadster, calling it the “cherry on the icing on the cake” of Tesla’s projects.

Tesla listed the Roadster in “design development” as of its July earnings report, leaving early pre-bookers like Altman and Brownlee in limbo. The saga underscores both the excitement and frustration surrounding Tesla’s high-profile EVs and the challenges of pre-ordering vehicles that face repeated delays.

Sam Altman’s post quickly went viral, sparking discussions on social media about Tesla’s delayed deliveries and customer service, highlighting the difficulties faced by long-waiting customers.

This case also raises broader questions about accountability and transparency in high-demand tech products, especially when pre-booking involves substantial upfront payments.

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