Slate Auto's Radically Simple Electric Truck Starts At $24,950 (techcrunch.com)
- Reference: 0184071220
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/26/06/24/2113207/slate-autos-radically-simple-electric-truck-starts-at-24950
- Source link: https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/24/slate-autos-radically-simple-electric-truck-starts-at-24950/
> The price reveal comes more than a year after Slate Auto [4]emerged from stealth . Since then, the company has been steadily detailing the extremely basic, transforming EV, which starts as a two-seater pickup truck, but can be modified into a five-seater SUV. The SUV version will start at $29,950, Slate said Wednesday. Slate has said the conversion can be done by professionals or by owners themselves. On Wednesday, it finally showed off some of the first of its "Slate University" how-to videos, which guide people through the steps for doing everything from the SUV conversion to adding headlight covers.
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> Everything else about the truck is bare, though it's customizable. It has hand-crank windows, lacks an infotainment system, and all orders start with the same gray composite material, with no paint options, as Slate plans to let buyers order customizable wraps for the vehicle. That likely helps cut out a major cost center, as factory paint shops can run in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The company did not offer more details about the buying process. Slate has said it "won't have traditional dealerships," and plans to sell directly to customers, similar to other EV companies like Tesla, Rivian, and Lucid Motors.
[1] https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/back-to-basics-made-to-be-accessorized-over-time-the-24-950-slate-truck-is-the-most-affordable-truck-in-america-302808453.html
[2] https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/24/slate-autos-radically-simple-electric-truck-starts-at-24950/
[3] https://www.slate.auto/en
[4] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/04/26/0425259/cheap-transforming-electric-truck-announced-by-jeff-bezos-backed-startup
I love this (Score:3)
About the only negative I see is the 2000lb towing capacity. Whether that matters or not is whether you'd actually buy a pick-up/SUV for towing boats and trailers. Otherwise it's a very inexpensive vehicle with a huge amount of utility that'll work as a commuter vehicle for 99% of the population.
Insert that jackass here who always insists that nobody should be allowed to build or buy such a vehicle because it can't drive across the entire country without recharging and needs to be able to carry 15 sheets of dry wall, a fridge, and a large family at the same time. (Most US families are two car - this'll work perfectly for the person who needs to commute to work, with the other being a minivan.)
Re:I love this (Score:4, Interesting)
I also love it. The ability to reconfigure the vehicle as needs and desires change is awesome. If this takes off - and I really hope it does - then it may also be really good for the environment.
A lot of people buy new vehicles not because the old ones are in rough shape, but because requirements change. It sounds as though these cars have something in common with houses: they can be 'renovated' as needed, and even enlarged within limits. And the whole design approach is just begging for modder communities releasing NC or FDM designs to customize your vehicle.
I might have been a bit starry-eyed regarding the aftermarket mods; but it would be really cool...
Re: (Score:2)
I like their approach to customization and upgradability, but like with Framework laptops, you're gonna pay a premium up front for what you get because it's a small company. Like the base 2027 Chevy Bolt has more range and features for practically the same price. Though also it's literally cancelled after 1 model year since, w/o the Biden era CAFE requirements and rebates, it appears to be a money loser for Chevy so it got axed.
Re the Slate, some very important things are fixed:
2wd only
2 door.
mid batt
Re: (Score:3)
> nobody should be allowed to build or buy such a vehicle because it can't drive across the entire country without recharging
This looks like it will fit the same market as JDM Kei trucks. Local delivers, etc. Which is OK, because there's a pretty decent sized market for those. They also serve quite well as daily driver second cars. You don't have to feel guilty about driving one putting around town with an empty bed.
Now if only we could get businesses to buy these for their project foremen. Instead of F350 Super Duty crew cabs that will never see more than a roll of blueprints and a hard hat.
Re: (Score:2)
You will need to fix the tax code and CAFE for that. They will continue buying F350s as long as they can write them off on their taxes.
Isn't interesting to ponder what the market would look like if tax policy encouraged them buying efficient vehicles instead of encouraging them to buy the least efficient and most dangerous ones?
Re: (Score:2)
I'm in to it. I don't have the spare cash to risk buying a version 1.0 Maybe in a couple years.
REO Slate (Score:1)
For those who don't know, REO Trucks is making a similarly lower priced vehicle with a gas engine, manual transmission, and plans to have open source aftermarket support.
Re: (Score:2)
> REO Trucks
I hope they picked up the rights to use the [1]speedwagon badge. [wikimedia.org]
[1] https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/REO_Speedwagon_Badge.jpg/960px-REO_Speedwagon_Badge.jpg
Re: (Score:1)
I'm not sure about the badge, but they say they plan to use that name in a vehicle, yes.
Re: (Score:3)
> I hope they picked up the rights to use the [1]speedwagon badge. [wikimedia.org]
I was thinking Duran Duran.
Her truck’s a RIO
It gets stuck in the sand
She shoulda bought that Cyber thing
But it was seventy-five grand
[1] https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/REO_Speedwagon_Badge.jpg/960px-REO_Speedwagon_Badge.jpg
Re: (Score:3)
Semi interesting. i say "semi" because that one seems VERY early / speculative, while Slate's been grinding for years already and is close to releasing something.
Also of note, which i hadn't realized is that Ford is working on a cheap electric 4 door "ranchero" "targetting" $30k. We'll see what comes of it.
[1]https://www.motortrend.com/new... [motortrend.com]
[1] https://www.motortrend.com/news/2028-ford-ranchero-ev-truck-everything-we-know
Re: (Score:1)
I agree, it's early/speculative. But the exact same was true of Slate not that long ago. Also that's interesting about the "ranchero" (agreed on the double quotes lol), thanks for sharing.
Re: (Score:2)
Fuck, the only thing I want less than truck that will make Jeff Bezos money is a Ford. Never another Ford. Never.
Re: (Score:2)
> Fuck, the only thing I want less than truck that will make Jeff Bezos money is a Ford. Never another Ford. Never.
My folks always owned Fords when I was growing up. They were actually nice cars when they ran properly, which was rarely.
Re: (Score:2)
I was happy with my Ford Escort. It was very reliable and ran just about forever.
Re: (Score:2)
Was it one of the Mazda-based models? They were built by Ford, but not with Ford technology.
Ford honestly has had the occasional hit, but also oh so many lemons.
Re: (Score:2)
My 2000 Nissan Quest was a joint project between Nissan and Ford, with Ford making everything except the powertrain and doing the assembly in the US. So the door plate says "Ford."
Great vehicle. Still.
(Yes, of course it has power windows...)
I love the idea of the Slate but price concerns me (Score:2)
I really like the idea of the Slate truck, especially with the extended battery they once mentioned.
My biggest concern of course is after you add the options to make the truck sort of comfortable, you'll end up back at a price point that isn't impressive anymore. For instance, I'm really not interested in hand-cranking my windows. I hated it in the 90s and nothing has changed since then. No infortainment is fine by me though. I already use my phone with mp3s connected via bluetooth for my music. Of course,
Re: (Score:1)
There is a market segment of people who only want to buy what they need. There's also individuals who just can't afford anything more, but still want a truck. So, many people would take $10-15k off the sticker price of a new vehicle for the mild inconvenience of hand-crank windows or non-leather seats.
Re: (Score:2)
That's a good point. Also, from the sounds of this, you can do a lot of the upgrades yourself. This means you could progressively upgrade the vehicle instead of having to buy it all at once. So yeah, a base model out the door for less then 30k is pretty awesome. Then you just add stuff as you save up your money for upgrades.
I'm excited it exist and hope it really works out because I could very easily see myself getting this vehicle in a few years once my current car starts reaching replacement age. I still
Customization more important than price (Score:4, Insightful)
> p>My biggest concern of course is after you add the options to make the truck sort of comfortable, you'll end up back at a price point that isn't impressive anymore. For instance, I'm really not interested in hand-cranking my windows. I hated it in the 90s and nothing has changed since then. No infortainment is fine by me though. I already use my phone with mp3s connected via bluetooth for my music. Of course, having more then one single speaker will be nice.
> No idea about the seats either. Basically, after upgrading a half dozen things, expect the price to be closer to 35 or 40 before fees.
> But I do love the concept. Once the early adopters get in their and really show us all about it, I might consider buying one in a few years. Of course, if someone else wants to come out with a small truck EV or ICE, I'm listening.
Half the point of this vehicle is you can make it your own. These are supposed to be as customizable as a desktop computer and that's very exciting. If you could get Toyota-level reliability (and yes, I know they're new to EVs) and this level of customization, I would be willing to pay a little more for a Slate than a Toyota. Imagine cheap repairs! Imagine buying a Slate truck and converting it to an SUV or back for a few k? Imagine being able to easily upgrade and replace parts on your own? Yeah...some skilled individuals can do that themselves with a Toyota, but it's an adventure, to say the least. Imagine some jackass hits your car in a parking and damages the tail light....and you can buy the part for cheap and replace it yourself...with beginner-friendly instructions?
Or, if you aren't into customization, quite simply, imagine a second car that cheap that's not your daily use vehicle, but the one for your kids or if you live within good public transportation, the one you take when you or your wife both need the car at the same time? I don't care if my kids have to roll down windows by hand!
Re: (Score:3)
These are not actually going to be much more customizable than other vehicles. The sole exception is in the infotainment department, where virtually all modern vehicles have some big overwrought thing that you probably don't want because it sucks, or it will in the future — which will affect you if you're the kind of person who keeps a vehicle. But if you are, the auto industry hates you.
A vehicle being "designed" to be customized is really entirely irrelevant because all of the same work has to be do
Added fees! (Score:1)
excluding taxes, title, license, registration, governmental fees, destination charges, documentation fees, and any optional equipment, So, slap on another 40,000 dollars LOL.
Re: (Score:1)
To be fair, you're going to have to pay those for any vehicle you buy in the US (significantly less if it's used!)
Hope it succeeds (Score:1)
I am really tired of gimmick-galore screen overload modern vehicles. Slate is a breath of fresh air in being basic. I hope they make 4 door version next.
Re: (Score:2)
No infotainment at all seems like an overcorrection. The entire raison d'etre for CarPlay and Android auto was because trying to futz around with a tiny phone screen while you're supposed to be paying attention to the road, was never ideal in the first place. Things really didn't start going south until auto manufacturers decided to move the HVAC controls and God-knows-what-else to the infotainment, which absolutely is a trend that needs to die.
Re: (Score:2)
> No infotainment at all seems like an overcorrection. [...] CarPlay and Android auto
I'd rather have an empty double DIN, then I can put whatever I want in it, including a big screen that sticks out from it.
Agreed about the HVAC. That should always have physical controls.
Re: Hope it succeeds (Score:2)
All you need is a radio with bluetooth to get a handsfree. A USB slot too just to play your own music would be nice.
Chinese cars? (Score:3)
Can we please just import Chinese cars now?
Re: (Score:2)
Better that than giving Bezos more money.
Re: (Score:1)
For trucks, they don't even need to be Chinese. You can thank the Chicken Tax (yes, this is a real thing), the FMVSS (federal motor vehicle safety standards) and the EPA.
Re: (Score:2)
> Can we please just import Chinese cars now?
If everyone can afford a car, who will ride around in Musk's Cybercabs?
Re: (Score:2)
You probably missed the news, but they were cheap because they were selling below cost due to government subsidies in order to capture market share, and the CCP is getting rid of those subsidies.
So you wouldn't save money, you'd only destroy (another) domestic industry.
Ford Maverick (Score:3)
The Ford Maverick for $3000/4000 more depending on engine configuration, turbo vs hybrid, makes this a pretty tough sell to me. I know its not electric but Mavericks are fuel efficient vehicles.
Re: (Score:2)
> I know its not electric but Mavericks are fuel efficient vehicles.
Even with gas prices being what they currently are, the truck buying demographic tends to heavily lean towards having an ICE as a feature. Plus, it really only makes sense to have an EV if you can charge at home. DCFC is incredibly expensive, and with data centers sucking up all the electricity on the grid, it's probably going to get worse.
I say this as someone who has two EVs in his household. You really, really don't want an EV unless you're able to do the bulk of your charging while plugged in at home
Pony up (Score:2, Insightful)
Everyone bitching and moaning over too much spyware and nanny electronics here is what you asked for.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Yes, this is exactly what we wanted. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
Note, this vehicle has all the luxury options too, they just do not come as part of packages, you can put whatever you want in it.
Decorations (wraps instead of paint)
Fancy lights
roof racks
Fancy audio gear
fancy seats
Tablet mounts to give you back that entertainment system
Re: (Score:2)
Just to reiterate: There are no luxury options, you'd have to buy and install those components yourself. This is the base model.
Re:Pony up (Score:5, Informative)
> this vehicle has all the luxury options too
All would be overstating it, the "luxury items" are mostly just decorative. Electric windows, electric adjustable rearview mirrors, heated seats, heated steering wheel, smart cruise control, lane change notification/assistance, automated parking, sun roof or a whole bevy of what people might consider luxury features are not available.
But it's not lacking in some "luxury" lighting and visual doodads that seem inspired by MTV's Pimp My Ride though.
After having a GMC S15 in the 90's that I loved, I was hoping for decent small electric pickup. Some amount of barebones I could handle like the tablet over an infotainment unit, but it's a couple steps past barebones.
Re: (Score:2)
Wait, no electric windows? That's not a luxury feature since the late 90s.
I like the idea of this (here in Australia there's no inexpensive EV utes), but that's a step too far.
Re: (Score:2)
You must have had an awfully fancy truck in the 90s if the lack of anything on that list of "luxury items" is holding you back.
My grandmother bought a car with power windows in the 90s. My father thought it was silly. I had one friend who would probably have paid $20 for a working gas gauge in her truck though.
Re: (Score:2)
> You must have had an awfully fancy truck in the 90s if the lack of anything on that list of "luxury items" is holding you back.
> My grandmother bought a car with power windows in the 90s. My father thought it was silly. I had one friend who would probably have paid $20 for a working gas gauge in her truck though.
I was happy when I replaced my used '69 VW Beetle and my newer used car had separate turn indicators instead of the single "<=>". :-)
Re: (Score:2)
Two separate points in there:
1. That the previous poster claim that it has "all the luxury options", which clearly it doesn't.
2. I developed a liking for small trucks in the 90's with driving a rust bucket when I was young and poor. Because of that fondness that I'd like a modern electric small truck, but the options are slim. I was hoping that the Slate Truck would meet my needs but it's too barebones. Northern winters are a little too chilly to be sticking my hand out the window to adjust the rearview mir
Re: (Score:2)
"Northern winters are a little too chilly to be sticking my hand out the window to adjust the rearview mirror"
one of the worst Xmas trips of my life was my father & i traveling 300 miles in his VW Beetle when the heat stopped working less than 100 miles from our starting point.
We spent a lot of the trip there AND BACK with the windows open to try to keep the windshield and mirrors clear. I really hated that car but his next 2 were probably worse.
Re: (Score:2)
> Tablet mounts to give you back that entertainment system
Which is always going to look jankier than if they'd actually provided something like an actual Double DIN mounting location in the first place. You can get generic Chinese Android head units for around $100 all day long and here's the surprising part - they're actually not that bad. I installed one in my old ICE work van (after becoming accustomed to having CarPlay in my Chevy Bolt) and honestly my only complaint is that it could stand to go a little louder.
Re: (Score:2)
> Everyone bitching and moaning over too much spyware and nanny electronics here is what you asked for.
You call it "bitching and moaning". Does that mean that you're happy about "spyware and nanny electronics" being rammed up your backdoor, or that you're merely passive and acquiescent?
Re: (Score:1)
So you saying younger people are too stupid to value privacy and right to repair and only "the crotchety old fucks" value it? What a dumb take.
Re: (Score:3)
> Just pointing out this is what the crotchety old fucks here asked for and they likely still won’t buy it.
I actually know someone who is kinda like this and the reason the Slate truck is a non-starter for them is because it's still cheaper to keep buying gas for and maintaining their existing ICE vehicle than having to make car payments.
That also kind of leans a bit into the reason why low-end cars just don't sell well in general in the USA - everybody finances their purchase, and then the difference between being stuck in some crappy penalty box or something that's actually comfy with luxury features just boil
Re: (Score:2)
And in the bigger competitive picture, you don't have to choose between a cheap car that's missing basic features, and an expensive car that has modern features. You can get a cheap car that ALSO has basic modern features like power windows, as long as you buy from a capable, modern car company i.e. a Chinese company.
This is the same dynamic that happened in the 1980s with Japanese cars and the 90s'/00s with Korean cars...American companies loved to lock basic features like power locks, power windows, and t
Re: (Score:1)
This is exactly what I want. Unfortunately, it has only 2 doors. Hope near-future mod to convert it into 4 door vehicle.
Re: (Score:2)
Says the AC hiding his/her identity.
Re: (Score:2)
"Everyone bitching and moaning "
who is this everyone? all i see is a preorder link, zero reviews, basically a "kick starter"
Yep (Score:2)
Waiting to see that they can actually ship and I will be a customer. This looks great to me.