In a dusty Indiana factory, a new kind of electric vehicle is taking shape—one that’s got Jeff Bezos’ money behind it and a price tag that could make Tesla sweat. Slate Auto, a Michigan-based startup, pulled the curtain off its first offering on April 23: an electric truck that starts at just $27,500, dropping to $20,000 with federal EV tax credits. It’s called the Slate Truck, and it’s not your typical shiny, gadget-packed ride. This is a bare-bones, customizable beast designed to shake up the auto world.
The truck’s debut wasn’t some glitzy auto show. Slate kept it low-key, announcing the vehicle through a press release and a handful of carefully placed media interviews. The company’s pitch? Affordability and flexibility. The Slate Truck can morph into an SUV with a conversion kit, letting buyers tweak it for work, play, or anything in between. Forget power windows or massive touchscreens—this rig skips the frills for a rugged, minimalist vibe. It’s built for folks who want a practical EV without draining their bank account.
Slate’s been quietly grinding away on this project for years, designing in California and Michigan while setting up shop in a Midwest assembly plant. The company confirmed production will kick off in late 2026, with deliveries expected shortly after. Behind the scenes, Bezos, alongside Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter and investor Thomas Tull, poured $111 million into Slate earlier this month. That cash infusion, part of a Series A funding round, is fueling the company’s push to get these trucks on the road.
The Slate Truck’s specs are lean but functional: a compact frame, decent range for daily hauls, and options like lift kits or vinyl wraps for those who want to personalize. It’s assembled in America, a point Slate’s hammering hard to appeal to buyers wary of foreign-made EVs. The company’s betting big on customization, letting owners add features as needed instead of paying for bells and whistles up front.
This isn’t Slate’s first brush with attention. Back on April 11, a prototype was spotted cruising near Los Angeles, sparking buzz among auto insiders. Now, with the official unveiling, the startup’s making waves for its no-nonsense approach. The truck’s price point undercuts most electric pickups on the market, and its SUV conversion option sets it apart from the pack.
Slate’s not promising to reinvent the wheel—just to make EVs accessible to more people. The company’s keeping tight-lipped on exact production numbers or battery details for now, but they’re clear about one thing: this truck is built for the everyman, not the elite. As the auto industry watches, Slate’s rolling the dice on a future where electric doesn’t mean expensive. First deliveries are slated for late 2026.