Slate Auto Unveils Electric Truck Starting at $24,950

• Early promise: a truly cheap electric pickup
• June 24 launch event: specs and strategy revealed
• First drives: does cheap feel cheap?
• Market questions ahead

Slate Auto Unveils Electric Truck Starting at $24,950 Slate Auto is betting that American drivers will trade touchscreens and luxury trims for bare-bones practicality and a sub-$25,000 sticker — a radical experiment in an era of ever-pricier vehicles.

§Early promise: a truly cheap electric pickup

The startup first drew attention by promising an ultra-low-cost, American-made electric pickup that would undercut both gas trucks and other EVs. Reviewers note that the production truck will start at $24,950, making it “the least expensive pickup truck and EV available today,” at a time when the average new vehicle hovers around $49,000. To get there, Slate stripped out features many drivers now see as standard, including a touchscreen, stereo, and power windows, instead offering a phone mount and manual cranks.

§June 24 launch event: specs and strategy revealed

On June 24, Slate formally unveiled more details of its truck and SUV lineup, confirming the $24,950 truck base price and a $29,950 starting price for the SUV variant. The company also boosted the base range to 205 miles, up from earlier plans, as it pitched a “radically simple” design aimed at buyers priced out of today’s market.

At a launch event in Gardena, California, new CEO Peter Faricy told press that “Slate is so much more than an affordable truck,” emphasizing a modular, customizable platform and a marketplace of add-on upgrades rather than bundled trim levels.

§First drives: does cheap feel cheap?

Hands-on coverage suggests Slate may be “underpromising and overdelivering.” One outlet reports that the base battery’s range rose to 205 miles and towing capacity doubled from 1,000 to 2,000 pounds, calling it evidence the “automotive startup has exceeded expectations.” Another reviewer who rode in a pre-production truck said that while the vehicle is inexpensive, “it doesn’t feel cheap,” praising its smooth acceleration, ride quality, and one-pedal driving — even if 0–60 mph in about eight seconds won’t thrill performance seekers.

§Market questions ahead

Analysts and reviewers highlight both opportunity and risk. By defying the industry’s feature-laden “trimflation,” Slate is targeting value-focused buyers with a genuinely basic new vehicle that “doesn’t look that way.” But the company must still prove it can scale production and persuade mainstream truck shoppers to embrace an EV that swaps tech-laden cabins for simplicity and price.

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