Slate Auto Unveils Refreshingly Easy And Small Two-Seat Electrical Truck Designed To Be Custom-made, Beginning Beneath $27,500

After a short however very buzzy teaser marketing campaign, Jeff Bezos–backed startup Slate Auto simply revealed its electrical pickup at an occasion in Lengthy Seashore, California. The very simple, refreshingly small truck is designed to be a clean slate for homeowners to simply customise how they need — therefore the Slate identify — with all kinds of greater than 100 equipment obtainable at launch. You will even be capable to rework the two-seat truck right into a five-seat SUV, and the rear-wheel-drive Slate can have a variety of as much as 240 miles. Slate says the truck will proudly be made within the U.S. “as a part of a dedication to re-industrializing America,” and it will value lower than $20,000 with federal incentives factored in when it begins manufacturing late subsequent yr.

There’s nonetheless rather a lot we do not learn about Slate, like precisely the place the truck can be constructed and what different companies it has partnered with. But when the corporate is ready to pull this factor off, it might actually make a distinction within the American market — not simply when it comes to EV adoption, however for the trade as a complete. Alright, there’s rather a lot to cowl right here, so let’s dive in.

I am going to get the powertrain specs out of the way in which first. You possibly can select from a 52.7-kWh battery pack that gives 150 miles of vary or an 84.3-kWh pack that goals to get 240 miles of vary. No matter battery measurement, the Slate has a single electrical motor placing out 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque to the rear axle, with a MacPherson strut entrance suspension and De Dion rear axle with coil springs. It will have a 0-to-60-mph time of 8 seconds and a prime velocity of 90 mph. The Slate will be capable to tow 1,000 kilos, and it will have a 1,433-pound payload. There’s an NACS cost port on the driving force’s aspect rear fender, with DC quick charging of as much as 120 kW that may get you from 20 to 80% in half an hour, or a full cost in 4-8 hours with the 11-kW AC charger.

Slate quotes a curb weight of three,602 kilos, which is about the identical as a Ford Maverick. It’ll have traction management and digital stability management, and whereas ABS is not talked about on the spec sheet I am positive it is included. Slate says it is aiming for (and at the moment assembly or exceeding in testing) a five-star NCAP security score, and to that finish it has automated emergency braking, ahead collision warning with pedestrian detection, and as much as 8 airbags.

At 174.6 inches lengthy the two-door Slate truck is greater than two toes shorter than a Ford Maverick and nearly 5 inches shorter than a Honda Civic Hatchback; Slate makes the comparability that it is sized carefully to a 1985 Toyota pickup. The Slate is 69.3 inches excessive, a bit taller than a Maverick, and its 5-foot mattress is half a foot longer than the Ford. That is the tiny truck y’all have been begging automakers to construct. Slate wished the design to tug at your coronary heart and be fascinating for everybody, plus have the truck be simple to drive and get out and in of. Regardless of the Slate’s diminutive measurement, it will possibly match a whole lot of stuff. There is a drainable frunk that matches 7 cubic toes value of stuff, with the hood extending to a part of the nostril to provide you a greater opening, and the mattress has 35.1 cubic toes of quantity, with a width between the wheel wells of 42.9 inches and a max width of 54.9 inches.

Whereas I want the truck had much more character and aptitude to its design —think about if the French had designed one thing with the Slate’s measurement and different parameters — there’s sufficient element in its easy styling to make it fascinating, just like the flared fenders and chamfered surfaces. The spherical headlights and plastic bumper give it a cute face, and I like how squared-off and upright it’s. A rear window that flips open is a pleasant contact. The shoulders are robust, the overhangs are quick. It is only a great-looking ‘lil truck. And the chances for personalization assist add a few of that character I am wanting.

If you’d like your Slate to come back in something however plain grey, you may should do it your self. The corporate says it is the primary new automobile that’s designed to be wrapped — vinyl wrap kits already lower can be obtainable from the manufacturing unit, and the truck’s cutlines make it simple to use the wrap with out taking off physique panels. Slate will even wrap it for you, and it will take mere hours. There can be partial wraps too, from doing simply the roof or rear finish to chill two-tones that appear like vans from the Seventies. Slate has all types of decal and stripe units, too, and it says the wrap kits will begin at round $500.

The equipment prolong to physique elements and different elements as properly, with greater than 100 Slate Connect factors all through the automotive. There’s gear racks, a spare tire service, beefier bumpers, fender flares, upgraded headlights and taillights, completely different grille designs, operating boards, and all types of different stuff. Slate will even supply a 2.0-inch carry package and a 1.0-inch decreasing package, and some completely different 17-inch (commonplace) or 20-inch wheels with both street or all-terrain tires — plus decals to make the wheels look even cooler. If it is all an excessive amount of so that you can determine on by your self, Slate already has over two dozen “Starter Packs” to select from that bundle collectively all types of equipment, just like the one pictured above. You can purchase equipment individually or in bundles, and both at time of buy or later.

Although the Slate leaves the manufacturing unit in a singular physique model, it does not have to remain that manner. Slate will supply a flat-pack accent package that turns the truck right into a five-seat SUV, full with a roll cage, extra airbags and a bench seat. (No phrase on if the seats will be added to the truck mattress Subaru BRAT–model.) There are two completely different SUV rear ends to select from, a conventional squared-off tailgate or a slanted fastback one. You too can select to drive the Slate with out doorways on irrespective of which physique model is on.

Now, Slate does not say how simply this may be performed, however given the truck’s design I doubt it will be that unhealthy. The corporate does say there isn’t any mechanics certification required. For each the SUV transformation and all the opposite equipment, there can be a Slate U platform (I am assuming an app) with step-by-step video tutorials to point out you learn how to put all the things collectively. With electrical vehicles requiring a lot much less upkeep than inside combustion vehicles, the Slate will allow you to get your wrenching repair in.

The inside is the place I feel the Slate will get a little bit too easy. Do not get me flawed, the oblong design is nice, with a flat dashboard that opens into an enormous glovebox and an total look harking back to the actually cool stuff IKEA made again in the course of final century, simply with rather a lot much less shade. The door panels have cool cloth armrests, and the air vents, steering wheel, local weather controls and column stalks have an important ’80s vibe. You can purchase all types of inside equipment too, like decal kits, completely different steel or wooden accents, and different colours for the inside panels and seat covers. There are additionally issues known as Slatelets, cute little badges that clip onto the air vent that runs throughout the sprint. 

As you may discover, there is a small show in entrance of the driving force, however no infotainment display in any respect. Slate is as a substitute making you get a cellphone or pill mount and utilizing your most popular tech. Downside is, you possibly can’t simply get Apple CarPlay or Android Auto as an app in your cellphone, so both you are simply driving with maps up the entire time, otherwise you’re swiping by means of your precise cellphone to alter the tune or reply to a textual content. There can be a Slate app that works as an infotainment system and is how the automotive will get over-the-air updates, however once more, you have gotta work together together with your cellphone on the sprint.

It additionally does not include audio system as commonplace, providing them as equipment or providing you with a mount in your personal Bluetooth speaker. A set of Bluetooth controls for the steering wheel and an additional row of auxiliary buttons are discovered within the accent catalog, as are a middle console with an armrest, door pockets, energy home windows — it is received cranks as commonplace.

Already constructing and testing prototypes, and a manufacturing unit in Indiana is tooling up now in anticipation of vans reaching the primary clients in This fall of 2026. The vans can be purchased on-line in a direct-to-consumer mannequin, however the firm can have a nationwide lineup of service facilities and locations that may assist with all of the equipment. Precise value hasn’t been introduced but, however Slate says it can begin at beneath $20,000 with incentives included, which suggests it will carry an MSRP of lower than $27,500. I’ve a sense there can be a whole lot of sticker shock when equipment get piled on, particularly while you’ll want so as to add rather a lot to get the Slate feeling prefer it’s a automotive from 2026 with options aggressive to a Nissan Versa.

The Slate is offered to order proper now for $50; the corporate says the sooner you reserve one the sooner you may get one, and the deposit is “refundable in case you hen out.” Slate’s web site is fairly wonderful, and there is already a incredible configurator that can allow you to undergo each single accent that’ll be on supply at launch. I can not consider a greater approach to waste your Friday.