You will not have to attend for much longer to shop for Slate Auto’s first EV. The Jeff Bezos-backed startup is telling consumers by the use of e mail that it is going to start taking orders for the low-priced, modular truck on June twenty fourth forward of deliveries later within the 12 months.
Within the message observed by way of TechCrunch, Slate cautions that would-be homeowners must position $50 reservations in the event that they wish to get their cars “sooner than non-reservers.”
Slate nonetheless hasn’t detailed the bottom value for the truck in spite of offering a web based configurator. It is estimated to price within the “mid-$20,000s,” and an add-on to make it an SUV would require about $5,000 further. The corporate at the start was hoping to put it up for sale a sub-$20,000 value, however the finish to the $7,500 federal EV tax credit score dashed that plan.
Slate raises $650 million to carry its reasonably priced electrical truck to manufacturing
Jeff Bezos-backed Slate is launching at a grim time for EVs.
Why the Slate truck is so vital
It is a no-frills EV with ultimate timing
Slate unveiled its signature truck in April 2025 with an means in contrast to different automotive producers, specifically EV manufacturers. It provides only one essentials-only automobile and provides modules relying at the capability you need. The bottom model is dependent upon your telephone or pill because the infotainment device, comes and not using a audio system, and has manually-operated home windows. You order wraps so as to add colour, now not paint.
A pickup truck is the default genre, however you’ll additionally order kits that flip it into an SUV or Jeep-style open-air offroader. You’ll be able to also have Slate take away the doorways or raise the trip peak along with extra standard choices like greater wheels and an exterior spare tire.
If Slate holds to its value promise, the truck might be extra reasonably priced than compact competitors just like the Chevy Bolt and Nissan Leaf. That might topic in a brutal EV marketplace the place maximum manufacturers past Tesla have watched gross sales plummet within the absence of the tax credit score. Ford, VW, and others have scaled again their plans and refocused on hybrids and gas-only cars.
An EV? On this economic system?
Slate additionally has a coarse economic system on its aspect. Emerging costs, specifically for fuel, have resulted in many families chopping prices. Some makes, similar to Hyundai, have additionally reported EV gross sales surges as gasoline costs climb. The truck may just attraction to drivers who need the long-term financial savings of an EV, specifically if they are prepared to sacrifice some comforts within the identify of a decrease preliminary value.
Supply: TechCrunch
