OpenAI founder and CEO Sam Altman has alleged that he paid $45,000 as a pre-reservation for a Tesla vehicle in July 2018, but is yet to receive the delivery of the car. In a post on microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter), Altman shared screenshots of 3 different emails of the vehicle confirmation, his ask for refund and email bounce back. Altman said that he recently tried to connect with Tesla about the issue, but the email, as per the screenshot, bounced back. It showed an error stating “Address not found”.
“A tale in three acts,” Altman writes in the post, sharing the screenshots. “I really was excited for the car! And I understand delays. But 7.5 years has felt like a long time to wait,” he said in another.
Replying to Altman's post, Tesla CEO Elon Musk fired back saying: "And you forgot to mention act 4, where this issue was fixed and you received a refund within 24 hours. But that is in your nature."
Sam Altman claims non-delivery of Tesla car he bought 7.5 years ago
The tech executive did not specify which Tesla model he had booked or through which channel the payment was made. But, it appears to be the Tesla Roadster – claimed to be one of Tesla's most hyped unveilings. Its production was originally slated to start in 2020, but has been delayed multiple times. In 2024, Elon Musk told investors: “We are working on it, but it has to come behind things that have a more serious impact on the world.
So, just thank you to all our long-suffering Tesla Roadster deposit holders”.
The screenshots in Sam Altman’s post reveal RN109156241 as the reservation confirmation number.
Back in 2017, Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated that the Roadster “will be the fastest production car ever made, period.” “It will be the first time any car has broken two seconds at 0-60,” Musk then said adding “It will be the fastest to 100 mph: 4.2 seconds.”
Elon Musk’s Secret Takedown Tactics EXPOSED? Sam Altman Speaks Out | WATCH