A Small Electric Truck Built Around the Basics
The Slate Truck is not trying to compete with the Tesla Cybertruck, Rivian R1T, or Ford F-150 Lightning on horsepower, luxury, or technological spectacle. Instead, the American startup is taking aim at a problem that extends far beyond electric vehicles: new cars have become too expensive. Slate has now confirmed that its two-seat electric pickup will start at $24,950, before destination charges, taxes, registration, and optional equipment. That makes it one of the least expensive new vehicles in America and, according to Slate, the country’s most affordable new pickup.
That price buys an unusually simple truck. The rear-wheel-drive Slate uses a single electric motor producing approximately 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, with an estimated 0–60 mph time of around eight seconds and a top speed of 90 mph. Its updated 65-kWh battery is expected to provide approximately 205 miles of range, a significant improvement over the 150-mile estimate announced when the truck was first revealed. That figure is still a manufacturer projection based on an approximation of EPA testing, however, and has not yet been certified as an official EPA range.
The compact truck measures about 175 inches long, making it shorter than a Ford Maverick, but its five-foot bed is slightly longer than the Maverick’s. Slate now lists a maximum payload of approximately 1,550 pounds and a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds. Those numbers will not satisfy buyers hauling large campers or heavy equipment, but they should be sufficient for motorcycles, home-improvement supplies, camping equipment, landscaping materials, and most of the everyday jobs performed by people who do not truly need a full-size truck.
No Touchscreen, No Paint Shop, No Unnecessary Expense
Slate’s more radical idea is not the electric powertrain. It is the belief that buyers may accept fewer factory-installed features in exchange for a genuinely affordable price. The base truck has manual windows, physical climate controls, steel wheels, and no built-in infotainment screen or audio system. Drivers instead receive a universal phone mount and USB power, allowing their own device to handle navigation and entertainment. Air conditioning, cruise control, automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, and multiple airbags remain standard.
Every truck leaves the factory in the same gray finish, molded directly into composite exterior panels rather than applied in a traditional paint shop. Customers who want another color can choose from more than 100 DIY vinyl wraps, with basic full-body wraps starting below $500. Slate will also offer more than 200 accessories, including stereos, racks, lighting, upgraded interiors, suspension components, and exterior trim. Buyers can add features at purchase or gradually personalize the truck as their needs and budgets allow.
The most ambitious option transforms the pickup into a five-passenger SUV. Slate will offer both squareback and fastback SUV configurations starting at $29,950, with conversion kits that add a roof structure, rear seating, a roll cage, and additional airbags. An owner can purchase the pickup first and convert it later, giving the platform a modular quality rarely seen in modern vehicles. Production is expected to begin in Indiana in fall 2026, with initial customer deliveries planned for late in the year.
Can Slate Disrupt the EV Market?
The timing may be Slate’s greatest advantage. The average new vehicle now costs close to $50,000, while small and midsize pickups commonly average more than $40,000. Even affordable models such as the Ford Maverick have crept toward $30,000 before options. Electric vehicles remain more expensive still, with many new EVs carrying prices above $50,000. Against that landscape, a $24,950 electric truck stands out immediately and could simultaneously shift the automotive industry and rewrite automotive history. Let’s not forget, EVs are nothing new.
Slate is betting that there is an overlooked market for buyers who value low cost, utility, repairability, and customization more than giant screens or luxury interiors. The company says the truck contains fewer than half as many parts as a typical pickup and is designed to make common components accessible. Free repair guides will be available through its Slate U program, while a partnership with thousands of independent repair shops is intended to address concerns about servicing a vehicle from an unfamiliar startup.
The challenge will be convincing customers that simplicity feels liberating rather than cheap. Adding accessories can quickly raise the final price, while 205 miles of projected range may not suit buyers who regularly tow or travel long distances. Slate also must prove it can manufacture vehicles reliably and profitably, something that has defeated numerous well-funded EV startups. Still, the company reportedly accumulated roughly 180,000 early reservations before opening formal preorders. If even a meaningful portion become actual sales, the Slate Truck could demonstrate that disruption does not require more power, more screens, or more complexity. It may simply require giving Americans a new vehicle they can afford.
