It’s been about eight years since Elon Musk first unveiled the Tesla Roadster. At the time, it was more of a promise than a real product, but the story we’re about to tell leaves little room for excuses.
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says Tesla refused to refund his $45,000 Roadster deposit
From the start, Tesla opened preorders as if the supercar’s debut was just around the corner. Many eager fans placed reservations with what was described as a “small” deposit. Musk promised breathtaking specs: 0–62 mph in under two seconds, futuristic technology, and a range of over 620 miles (1,000 km) on a single charge.
Today, almost a decade later, it’s clear those numbers were far too ambitious. But that’s not the real problem, the issue is that Tesla reportedly refuses to refund deposits to customers tired of waiting.
The story came to light through Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. Over seven years ago, Altman believed in the project and placed a $45,000 deposit for a Tesla Roadster. In recent months, however, disappointment took over. He emailed Tesla to ask for a refund, as he revealed on X (formerly Twitter).
That’s when he discovered something surprising, the email address Tesla once used for preorder inquiries no longer exists. Shocked, Altman wrote: “I was genuinely excited about the car! I even understand the delays. But seven and a half years feels like too long to wait.”
A similar situation happened recently to Marques Brownlee, another early Roadster customer. Tesla, however, reportedly plans to unveil the final production version of the supercar next month. According to insiders, the Tesla Roadster should finally appear by the end of this year, with production starting in early 2027.
A tale in three acts: pic.twitter.com/ClRZBgT24g
— Sam Altman (@sama) October 30, 2025
