OpenAI CEO Sam Altman asked for his $50K Roadster deposit to be refunded after 7-year wait and instead got an awkward response from Tesla

Like others who submitted a $50k deposit for the Tesla Roadster almost eight years ago, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has asked for a refund, but he’s been hit with an awkward response from the esteemed EV brand.

Back in 2017, Tesla announced the second generation of the Tesla Roadster.

But almost eight years on, it still doesn’t exist, and people want their money back.

One of those is Sam Altman, but the OpenAI CEO hasn’t been very successful in his hunt for a refund.

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OpenAI boss hits instant roadblock when refunding Tesla roadster deposit

Although he’s pledged to give most of his wealth away – $2.4 billion at the time of writing – OpenAI boss Sam Altman has harnessed the attitude of other well-off motorheads and has put big money behind his car collection.

The tech billionaire has already showcased supercars such as his McLaren F1, and he’s been looking to bolster his garage with a groundbreaking EV:

The Tesla Roadster 2.0.

However, after over seven years of waiting, he’s now decided that enough time has passed and wants his $50k deposit back.

That’s easier said than done, though, as his attempts have been thwarted by a mailbox that doesn’t exist.

Taking to social media, the OpenAI CEO revealed that he emailed Tesla asking for his deposit to be refunded, but it was returned to the sender as the email address appeared to be no longer active.

Screenshots of the email revealed that an ‘Address not found’ prompt, leading Altman to vent on X (formerly Twitter).

A tale in three acts: pic.twitter.com/ClRZBgT24g

— Sam Altman (@sama) October 30, 2025

Tesla fans are getting tired of waiting for the Roadster 2.0

Nearly a decade on from putting his money down, that $50k would now be worth millions if it were placed in Tesla stock instead, and he now thinks enough time has passed to cut his losses.

“I really was excited for the car! And I understand delays,” he said on X.

“But 7.5 years has felt like a long time to wait.”

And he’s not the only one with that attitude.

Popular YouTuber Marques Brownlee recently opened up about canceling his $50k deposit, saying he wished he’d done something else with that money.

Another British man who paid just 10 percent of the above Americans’ deposit also hit major snags when asking for his deposit back, although his is a much different story from the one Sam Altman faced.

All of these actions appear to have prompted the company to give some updates on the Tesla Roadster.

While the communication on the upcoming EV supercar has been rare, we are now set to see a demo, at least, before 2025 ends.

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