Tech billionaires Elon Musk and Sam Altman have locked horns online once again — this time over a Tesla Roadster reservation that’s been pending for more than seven years.
The latest exchange began when Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, posted a series of screenshots on X (formerly Twitter) showing his attempt to cancel his Tesla Roadster reservation and request a refund.
In his post titled “A tale in three acts,” Altman shared a 2018 email confirming a $45,000 payment for the next-generation Tesla Roadster. He also included a follow-up message requesting a $50,000 refund — which, according to him, bounced back.
“I really was excited for the car! And I understand delays. But 7.5 years has felt like a long time to wait,” Altman wrote on Thursday, expressing his frustration over the prolonged production delays.
Musk responds
Elon Musk was quick to respond to Altman’s claims on Saturday, accusing him of omitting the full story.
Quoting Altman’s post, Musk wrote:
“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.”
Musk’s response suggested that the refund had already been processed, directly contradicting Altman’s implication that Tesla had ignored his request.
Neither Tesla nor Altman’s representatives responded to media requests for comment on the matter.
Long-delayed Tesla roadster
When Musk unveiled the new Tesla Roadster back in 2017, he boldly claimed it would be “the fastest production car ever made, period.” However, the vehicle has faced multiple production delays and remains in the “design development” phase, according to Tesla’s latest quarterly earnings report.
Popular tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) also revealed earlier this year that he canceled his own Roadster reservation due to the extended wait time, mirroring Altman’s frustration.
Despite the setbacks, Musk recently told Joe Rogan on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast that the upcoming Roadster will include “crazy technology” and reaffirmed Tesla’s commitment to eventually bringing it to market.
