Slate Auto prices its no-frills electric truck at $24,950, opens pre-orders and promises first deliveries by late 2026

Pricing and launch event

Slate Auto, the electric vehicle startup backed by Jeff Bezos, revealed its long-awaited price target today. The base “Blank Slate” pickup will start at $24,950, while a convertible SUV version is priced from $29,950. Pre-orders opened immediately on the company’s website, requiring a $300 refundable deposit for new customers. Existing reservation holders, who previously put down $50, pay an additional $250 to convert to a firm order. The pricing lands squarely inside the mid-$20,000 range the company promised last year, after the Trump administration’s removal of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit made an earlier sub-$20,000 goal impossible.

Specifications and range bump

Slate surprised observers by bumping the EPA range estimate from the originally touted 150 miles to 205 miles, a 37 percent increase. The single-motor, rear-wheel-drive truck produces 181 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque from a 65 kWh (63 kWh usable) lithium iron phosphate battery pack. DC fast charging via a NACS port takes 30 minutes to go from 20 to 80 percent at up to 120 kW; a full charge from a standard home outlet could take as long as 17 hours. Towing capacity is 2,000 pounds, payload 1,550 pounds, and the 0-60 mph time is a modest 8 seconds.

Minimalist design and customisation

To reach the price point, Slate stripped out nearly every comfort feature. There is no touchscreen, no stereo and no speakers, just a dashboard clip for a smartphone. Windows are cranked by hand, and the body comes unpainted in a single moulded grey composite. The strategy is to let buyers add accessories later via the Slate Marketplace, where more than 175 items are available, 80 of them priced under $500. Over 100 wrap colours can be ordered for $500, turning the truck into any shade a buyer wants.

“Slate gives customers the freedom to buy only what they need today and personalize their vehicle as their needs change tomorrow.”

Pre-order details and production timeline

Slate has already collected around 180,000 reservations since the prototype was shown in April 2025. Production is scheduled to begin in autumn 2026 at the company’s Indiana facility, with first customer deliveries expected by the end of the year. The vehicle is small by pickup standards, about 14.5 feet long, more than two feet shorter than a Ford Maverick, and will initially be offered only as a two-door. An SUV conversion, which adds rear seating in either a fastback or squareback bodystyle, can be done by owners themselves or by professionals, guided by “Slate University” how-to videos released today.

Market position and competition

The $24,950 sticker undercuts nearly everything on the US market. The average new vehicle sold for $49,220 in May, according to Cox Automotive data, and the average new EV cost $54,532. Used vehicles averaged $26,918. The closest direct competitors are the Ford Maverick, starting around $30,000, and the Chevrolet Bolt EV at roughly $29,000. With half of the existing reservation holders potentially converting to orders, Slate could quickly outsell the troubled Tesla Cybertruck and carve out a niche at the bottom of the new-car market.

Slate pickup24,950

Ford Maverick30,000

Chevrolet Bolt EV29,000

Nissan Leaf32,000

Average used vehicle26,918

Avg. small/midsize pickup43,044

Average new vehicle49,220

Average new EV54,532

Slate pickup

24950 $

Ford Maverick

30000 $

Chevrolet Bolt EV

29000 $

Nissan Leaf

32000 $

Average used vehicle

26918 $

Avg. small/midsize pickup

43044 $

Average new vehicle

49220 $

Average new EV

54532 $

Data from the article text