Cybertruck Deposit Holders Complain After Tesla Curbs FSD Transfers for Base Trucks
June 11, 2026
Tesla is far from a conventional car company. Controversial leader aside, the brand has made its bones on the back of its expertise in software, battery technology, and stock market mastery. While many of the brand’s fans were drawn to Tesla due to its tech-forward approach, it occasionally comes with some downsides. According to a report from InsideEVs, entry-level Cybertruck owners are currently being denied the ability to transfer their Full Self Driving subscriptions to their new trucks, and it all comes down to an adjustment to the brand’s eligibility rules.
The Cybertrucks in question are base Cybertruck AWD variants, which were briefly available for order at $59,990 back in February, before prices were raised to $69,990 in just 10 days time. Regardless of that little detail, customers who snagged their trucks in February are starting to see deliveries this month, which hasn’t gone as smooth as one might hope. Several Tesla-related forums and blogs are alight with owners who have discovered that the most affordable Cybertruck variants are blocked from the automaker’s Full Self-Driving transfer functionality. Essentially, this setup was meant to allow Tesla owners to move their license to the service across vehicles as they upgrade without fully paying for the expensive software an additional time. Unfortunately for these customers, that’s not going to be the case this time around.
Buyers are understandably frustrated by this news, as Tesla’s language surrounding the software transfer did suggest that such a move would be possible with the low-trimmed trucks. Instead, customers are now being told that they need to upgrade to a higher trim (for around $20,000 more at a minimum), or pay $99/month for software they technically already own a perpetual license for. Unsurprisingly, this has led some buyers to hit social media with their frustrations, while others have opted to cancel their orders altogether.
The crux of the issue stems from the eligibility language found on the brand’s support website, which initially told customers that their transfer would be accepted if they had ordered their vehicles by a set March deadline. Following the price hike in February, the automaker changed that language to state that customers who took delivery by that deadline would qualify. As those entry-level Cybertrucks didn’t start to arrive to customers until June, the trucks were effectively barred before owners would have ever had a chance to make the swap. While that sucks for owners, Tesla was careful to specifically include the word “may” in the initial version of the text as well, which always gave the automaker a convenient out.
If owners choose not to move forward with their purchase, Tesla is offering a refund on the $250 order fee associated with the purchase. I have a sneaking suspicion that some scorned buyers will not find that to be a satisfactory solution to the shakeup.
Associate Editor
Born and raised in Metro Detroit, associate editor Lucas Bell has spent his entire life surrounded by the automotive industry. He may daily drive an aging Mustang, but his Porsche 944 and NB Miata both take up most of his free time.
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