Emerging from stealth just before midnight on Thursday, startup Slate Auto made waves with the reveal of its compact electric pickup. Backed in part by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Slate plans to price its base model at around $25,000—roughly five grand less than the least expensive EVs currently on the U.S. market, none of which are pickups.
Information about Slate’s vehicles had been scarce until now. A few sightings and teasers hinted at what was coming, but with the official reveal, full specs, production strategies, and rollout timelines are finally out in the open.
Dubbed the “Blank Slate,” the base truck features a 52.7-kWh battery estimated to deliver 150 miles of range. It’s only available in a molded-in gray finish, with a sole upgrade option: a larger 84.3-kWh battery promising up to 240 miles. Slate hasn’t yet disclosed pricing for that extended-range version.
Reservations for the truck are now open with a $50 refundable deposit. First units are expected to reach buyers in late 2026. Assembly will take place in the Midwest, at a still-undisclosed location that will help Slate sidestep incoming tariffs on imported EVs.
CEO Chris Barman emphasizes that both vehicle design and manufacturing methods have been optimized to keep expenses in check. In a WIRED interview, she explained that offering just one model streamlines production and reduces costs, particularly by eliminating paint booths and traditional stamping presses—saving between $350 million and $500 million, based on projected annual output of 150,000 units.
That doesn’t mean buyers won’t be able to customize their truck. Slate is leaning into the idea of modular, user-friendly personalization, hoping to attract younger buyers who surveys show are more open to EVs—and more inclined to make their vehicle stand out.
While the entry price is aggressively low, Slate plans to sell over 100 add-ons—some bundled, others standalone—that can be self-installed or fitted by a dealer. These accessories, which range from cosmetic to functional, are expected to raise the real-world average sale price considerably, especially for buyers transforming pickups into five-seaters.
Two modular kits will likely become bestsellers: one morphs the truck into a two-door SUV, and the other into a fastback-style utility vehicle. Each kit includes body panels and a roll structure delivered flat-pack style. A removable rear wall doubles as the SUV’s tailgate, while added airbags integrate into the new roll cage, which must be correctly installed—confirmed by sensors—before the vehicle will start. Estimated price for these kits? Around $5,000 each, according to Barman.
Functionally, the Blank Slate keeps things simple while complying with 2027 safety regulations. That means standard automatic emergency braking and a backup camera feeding into the driver display—there’s no central screen. Instead, drivers will use mounts designed for phones or tablets.
Other available upgrades include a center console, power window conversion kits, seat covers, wraps, and a variety of wheels to swap in for the standard 17-inch steel ones. Slate also plans to release a “Builder’s Book” to guide owners through mods and enhancements.
Under the hood—or rather, beneath the body—is a rear-wheel-drive layout powered by a single 150-kW (201-hp) motor. The NMC battery cells come from SK-On’s U.S.-based factory. Charging options include 11-kW AC onboard and up to 120-kW DC fast-charging. A NACS plug is standard equipment.
The truck tips the scales at 3,600 pounds and offers a 1,430-pound payload. Towing capacity is 1,000 pounds—well under the 4,000-pound rating of the upcoming 2025 Ford Maverick Hybrid AWD, which features a more spacious cabin despite a shorter bed.
Styling cues are throwbacks to boxy American pickups of yesteryear. The truck’s upright stance and squared-off lines evoke a downsized 1980s Ford Ranger rather than the more car-like Hyundai Santa Cruz. Its proportions are compact by today’s standards but true to form.
Compared to the Ford Maverick, Slate’s dimensions are tighter: 175 inches long, 71 inches wide, and 69 inches tall. Yet its 60-inch bed outpaces the Maverick’s 54-inch box. Up front, the Slate includes a 7-cubic-foot frunk—something the Maverick lacks due to its combustion engine—complementing the 37 cubic feet in the rear (or 34 cubic feet in SUV form).
According to Barman, Slate plans to prioritize individual buyers first to grow brand visibility. However, corporate and fleet sales are also in the pipeline, though Slate isn’t sharing expected distribution between those markets just yet.
Another angle worth considering: with Bezos as a backer and Amazon already operating thousands of Rivian EVs, there’s potential synergy. A smaller, more versatile electric hauler could fill in gaps in Amazon’s last-mile logistics operations—though Slate hasn’t confirmed anything on that front.
For longtime industry watchers, Slate’s story may feel oddly familiar. It recalls the ill-fated V-Vehicles (later NextAuto), which aimed to build cheap, plastic-bodied cars backed by Kleiner Perkins and T. Boone Pickens. That company’s dream faded after the DOE denied its loan request in 2010, leaving Ford, Tesla, and Nissan to collect funding instead.
That earlier venture leaned into gas-powered innovation, while Slate rides the EV wave. But both targeted simplicity, low prices, and DIY customization. Unlike its predecessors, Slate’s focus on personalization, compact design, and affordability could help it carve a niche—and perhaps, this time, the story ends differently.
