You won’t have to wait much longer to buy Slate Auto’s first EV. The Jeff Bezos-backed startup is telling customers via email that it will begin taking orders for the low-priced, modular truck on June 24th ahead of deliveries later in the year.
In the message seen by TechCrunch, Slate cautions that would-be owners should place $50 reservations if they want to get their vehicles “before non-reservers.”
Slate still hasn’t detailed the base price for the truck despite providing an online configurator. It’s estimated to cost in the “mid-$20,000s,” and an add-on to make it an SUV will require about $5,000 extra. The company originally hoped to advertise a sub-$20,000 price, but the end to the $7,500 federal EV tax credit dashed that plan.
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Slate raises $650 million to bring its affordable electric truck to production
Jeff Bezos-backed Slate is launching at a grim time for EVs.
Why the Slate truck is so important
It’s a no-frills EV with ideal timing
Slate Auto modular electric pickup truck in orange.Credit: Slate Auto
Slate unveiled its signature truck in April 2025 with an approach unlike other car manufacturers, particularly EV brands. It offers just one essentials-only vehicle and adds modules depending on the functionality you want. The base version relies on your phone or tablet as the infotainment system, comes with no speakers, and has manually-operated windows. You order wraps to add color, not paint.
A pickup truck is the default style, but you can also order kits that turn it into an SUV or Jeep-style open-air offroader. You can even have Slate remove the doors or lift the ride height in addition to more conventional options like larger wheels and an external spare tire.
If Slate holds to its price promise, the truck could be more affordable than compact rivals like the Chevy Bolt and Nissan Leaf. That could matter in a brutal EV market where most brands beyond Tesla have watched sales plummet in the absence of the tax credit. Ford, VW, and others have scaled back their plans and refocused on hybrids and gas-only vehicles.
An EV? In this economy?
Slate also has a rough economy on its side. Rising prices, particularly for gas, have led to many households cutting costs. Some makes, such as Hyundai, have also reported EV sales surges as fuel prices climb. The truck could appeal to drivers who want the long-term savings of an EV, particularly if they’re willing to sacrifice some comforts in the name of a lower initial price.
Source: TechCrunch
