Slate Auto, the new electric vehicle startup with backing from Jeff Bezos, is shaking up the market with a bold promise: an affordable, no-frills electric truck designed for real-world utility, not luxury. With a base price of $25,000-and potentially under $20,000 after federal tax incentives-Slate’s new model is set to challenge the status quo of high-priced, tech-heavy EVs.
What sets Slate apart is its radical simplicity. Forget touchscreens, fancy stereos, or glossy paint jobs. The Slate truck skips all the extras: no infotainment system, no power windows, and the body isn’t even painted. Instead, it’s built for durability, practicality, and easy customization. As CEO Chris Barman puts it:
“We only put the essentials, the basics, in the vehicle. We wanted to strike a good balance with price and range”.
The two-door model can be converted into a five-seat SUV with a simple kit, making it adaptable for everything from farm work to city driving.
Slate’s approach is so stripped-down, some have dubbed it the “anti-Tesla”. While other electric trucks like the Ford F-150 Lightning or Tesla Cybertruck can cost upwards of $100,000, Slate’s entry-level truck offers a 150-mile range (with an optional 240-mile battery upgrade) and a payload capacity of 1,400 pounds-all for a fraction of the price.
Production is set to begin in 2026 at a former printing plant in Warsaw, Indiana-a move that will bring over 2,000 jobs back to the area and breathe new life into a community hit hard by previous factory closures. Slate plans to manufacture up to 150,000 trucks a year, with a focus on sourcing materials and components from U.S. suppliers.
One of Slate’s most innovative features is its commitment to DIY culture. Through “Slate University,” owners will have access to educational content and technical support to help them modify or repair their vehicles themselves. “We want to have our own channel so that we can coach [customers] directly on things they may want to do to update or modify their vehicle,” Barman told Newsweek. This open, hands-on philosophy stands in stark contrast to the increasingly closed ecosystems of most modern cars.
With Jeff Bezos and other major investors on board, Slate Auto brings not just capital and attention, but a disruptive vision for what EVs can be: affordable, basic, and built for the people who need them most. In a market crowded with high-priced, high-tech vehicles, Slate’s “blank slate” approach could be just the innovation the industry-and American drivers-have been waiting for.
Reservations are already open with a refundable $50 deposit, and first deliveries are expected by late 2026.
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