Sam Altman Seeks Refund for Tesla Roadster Deposit as TSLA Shares Climb
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is attempting to reclaim his $50,000 deposit for Tesla's long-delayed Roadster, a vehicle first unveiled in 2017. Despite the refund request, Tesla's stock (NASDAQ:TSLA) ROSE nearly 3% in Friday trading, showing investor indifference to the news.
Tesla's Roadster has become emblematic of the company's missed deadlines, with production promises repeatedly deferred. The $250,000 and $50,000 deposits collected since 2017 remain unfulfilled, and Altman's experience highlights growing frustration—his reservation email now goes unanswered. Tesla recently claimed an updated Roadster prototype will debut by year-end, though skepticism remains.