Slate Auto Unveils Electric Truck Starting at $24,950 Slate Auto is betting that drivers will trade touchscreens and luxury trims for an ultra‑low price, unveiling an American-made electric pickup that undercuts not only rival EVs but even many used cars.

A year of build‑up to a $24,950 truck

The company first teased its minimalist truck last year, promising an American-made EV in the “mid-$20,000 price range.” A hands-on from The Verge now confirms the launch price: the pickup will start at $24,950, making it “the least expensive pickup truck and EV available today” in a market where the average new vehicle costs more than $49,000.

To hit that number, Slate stripped away features now common even in budget cars. The truck ships without a touchscreen, stereo, or speakers, relying instead on a phone dash mount; the windows are manual-crank, and there are no advanced driver-assistance suites, reflecting the company’s belief that “price matters more than almost anything else.”

Specs quietly improve before launch

Early specification targets have been revised upward. Ars Technica reports that Slate “pulled a Disneyland,” underpromising then overdelivering: the base battery range has risen from 180 to 205 miles, tow rating from 1,000 to 2,000 pounds, and payload from 1,400 to 1,550 pounds. During a ride-along, the outlet found the pre-production truck “doesn’t feel cheap,” with smooth acceleration, composed handling, and single-pedal regenerative braking, despite an unremarkable 0–60 mph time of about eight seconds.

Minimalism, modularity, and market stakes

TechCrunch frames the launch as part of a “radically simple” strategy: a $24,950 truck and a $29,950 SUV variant backed by high-profile investors, including Jeff Bezos, with the upgraded 205-mile base range now standard across the lineup.

Reviewers note that Slate’s modular, upgradeable design and online marketplace target DIY tinkerers and value-focused buyers—but warn that turning this buzz into a viable business will depend on whether the stripped-down formula can scale from carefully staged demos to mass production.

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