Latest news with #SlateTruck
Car and Driver
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
Slate Truck No Longer Priced Under $20K After EV Tax Credit Axed
The Slate Truck's starting price won't come in under $20,000 after all. The automotive startup's website now lists the starting price in the "mid-twenties," instead of the previously advertised sub-$20K price that required the federal EV tax credit. The change to Slate's website came as President Donald Trump's policy bill was passed last week, eliminating the federal EV tax credit starting on September 30. Newcomer Slate surprised the automotive industry when it revealed its stripped-down electric pickup truck in April and touted a starting price of under $20,000. The number came with a caveat, however. The actual starting price is set at just under $27,500, and that sub-$20K price was with the expiring $7500 federal EV tax credit. So, the Slate Truck is looking like it will be less affordable than initially thought, with the automaker's website now showing an expected price in the "mid-twenties," as first reported by TechCrunch. The change in price on Slate's website followed the passage of President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill last week, which, among many sweeping changes, included a provision to eliminate the federal EV tax credit on September 30. An asterisk next to the expected price states that the EV's price is subject to change, with the Truck not due to reach customers until late 2026. There's also a note that state and local incentives might still be available that could further reduce the cost. View Photos Slate The Slate Truck's eye-catching price tag was always going to be tenuous, relying on government incentives that were never guaranteed, especially after Trump took office earlier this year. Instead of undercutting the likes of the Nissan Versa and Hyundai Venue to be the most affordable vehicle in the United States, the roughly $27,500 price will see the Slate Truck compete more closely with the Ford Maverick, which starts at $29,840. The Maverick comes standard with a sound system, power windows, and a central touchscreen, all things that are missing on the Slate. While the Slate Truck could get away with its bare-bones cabin with the initial sub-$20,000 price, the modular electric pickup could be less desirable to some customers with a mid-$20,000 starting price. Caleb Miller Associate News Editor Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.
Motor 1
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
Thanks, Trump: Slate's Truck Probably Won't Cost Under $20,000
The Jeff Bezos-backed Slate Truck debuted in April with promises of 201 horsepower, 150 miles of range, and most importantly, a sub-$20,000 asking price. But thanks to President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," that affordable price tag may be out the door before the truck even hits the road. The Trump Administration eliminated the federal EV tax credit with the signing of the "Big Beautiful Bill," which cleared the House and Senate before making its way to the president's desk on July 4. All new EVs—not just from Slate—will lose the maximum $7,500 federal tax credits that helped keep prices low. Buyers still have until September 30 to take advantage of them. Photo by: Slate Slate advertised a sub-$20,000 starting price for its base pickup with the caveat: "After federal incentives." As initially reported by TechCrunch , the company has since removed that pricing promise from its website. We've reached out to the automaker for confirmation. Slate's sub-$20,000 asking price was for its most affordable bare-bones Truck; gray paint, two seats, a gauge cluster, and that's about it. Of course, buyers can still option things like cup holders and power windows if they so choose, with fancier features like an infotainment system, speakers, and an SUV conversion all available for an extra cost. No matter how you spec it, every version of the Slate Truck comes with the same 52.7-kilowatt-hour battery pack and promises 150 miles of range. An "accessory" 84.3-kWh pack increases the range to 240 miles. Even with President Trump's EV tax credit reversal looming, buyers are seemingly still eager to get their hands on a new Slate Truck. The company racked up over 100,000 reservations for its pint-sized pickup within a week of its debut. Deliveries are scheduled to kick off sometime in 2026. More On Slate Ram: We've Thought About a Cheap Truck Like The Slate 'A Million Times' Don't Hate Slate: It's Okay to Love the Bezos Truck Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Korea Herald
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- Korea Herald
SK On banks on EV battery deal with Slate for recovery
SK On is aiming for a recovery with an agreement to exclusively supply battery cells to Slate, a US-based electric vehicle startup backed by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. According to media reports Thursday, Slate unveiled the Slate Truck to the public in Michigan on Sunday, and the company will host another event in Detroit from Saturday to Sunday. The compact, highly customizable electric pickup truck will launch next year. SK On and Slate announced a supply deal covering 20 gigawatt-hour battery cells in April, making SK On the first official battery supplier. The capacity is enough to power 300,000 units of the EV maker's upcoming Slate Truck from 2026 to 2031. Industry insiders anticipate that SK On could potentially benefit from Slate's competitive pricing strategy, having already surpassed 100,000 preorders in two weeks in June. This figure represents nearly half of the one-week preorder volume for Tesla's new Cybertruck. The Slate Truck is expected to be priced from $27,500 before tax credits, a price point less than half of existing electric pickups in the US. Notably, major electric pickup trucks on the market start at significantly higher prices — approximately $55,000 for the Ford F-150 Lightning and $70,000 for the Rivian R1T, respectively, and over $60,000 for the Cybertruck. SK On highlighted that Slate's low-price strategy is poised to capitalize on the rapid growth of the US electrified light truck segment. According to a recent report from the Washington-based Automobile Innovation Alliance, electric sport utility vehicles, pickups and vans will account for about 79 percent of total EV sales in the region by the first quarter of 2025. 'Slate's reasonable pricing strategy offers eco-friendly vehicle options to consumers who have been unable to afford high-priced electric cars and are largely underserved in the current EV market. This approach aligns with SK On's vision to make EVs accessible to a broader consumer base,' said an industry source familiar with the matter on condition of anonymity. As SK On pushes into mid- and lower-priced EV markets beyond its traditional premium segment, investors and analysts are watching closely to see whether the battery maker can swing to profitability in the second quarter. From January to March, SK On reported sales of 1.6 trillion won ($1.2 billion), down 4.6 percent from a year earlier. However, its operating loss narrowed by 9.7 percent to 299.3 billion won.
Car and Driver
24-06-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
2027 Slate Truck EV vs. 2025 Ford Maverick: How They'll Compare
As big trucks continue to get bigger and more expensive, some room has opened up at the other end of the pickup spectrum for manageably sized haulers. Ford has proved this with the success of its Maverick pickup, and newcomer Slate hopes to capitalize on the desire to go small with its aptly and simply named Truck EV. Much about the Slate will be simple, in fact; it will come just one way from the factory, sparsely equipped with only the essentials, letting owners customize the look and functionality through a wide array of accessories. VIEW PHOTOS Ford 2025 Ford Maverick. There are no other baby electric pickups on the market right now, so the Slate's closest analogue is the Ford Maverick. Based on what Slate has shared about its debut product, we've compared the specs on these mini trucks to see what the matchup will look like when the startup's offering hits production, currently planned for late 2026. Ford 2025 Ford Maverick. Slate 2027 Slate Truck prototype. Powertrains Today, Ford sells the Maverick with a choice of two powertrains. The base setup is a 191-hp hybrid connected to a CVT and front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive available. For a little more, you can get a 250-hp turbocharged four-cylinder that uses an eight-speed automatic and comes standard with AWD. In our testing, a front-drive hybrid version needed 7.7 seconds to hit 60 mph, while the turbo four did the same in a snappy 5.9 seconds. The Slate Truck's initial solitary spec includes a single electric motor good for 201 horsepower and powering the rear wheels. (We have to imagine there's an all-wheel-drive powertrain in the plans at some point, but this single-motor layout should help Slate meet its thrifty goal for the launch product.) Slate claims a preliminary 0-to-60-mph time of 8.0 seconds. And that's with the 47-kWh standard-capacity battery; if you opt for the 75-kWh pack, which adds 302 pounds to the Truck's 3600-pound starting weight, acceleration is bound to be slower. Assuming things stay the same, the Ford will have the accelerative advantage. Fuel Economy These two little guys operate on different fuel, so examining their energy use is a bit of a Gala-to-Fuji comparison. What makes it even more difficult is that Slate hasn't shared any energy-consumption estimates for the Truck. All we know is that the small-pack version has a projected range of 150 miles and Trucks with the larger-capacity battery are forecast to go 240 miles on a charge. Range is less of a consideration with the gas-fed Maverick. In its shortest-range configuration—the new-for-2025 Lobo, which comes with the turbo engine—it'll still do 396 miles on a tank of fuel. The most miserly Maverick, the front-drive hybrid, has EPA ratings of 43 mpg in the city and 35 on the highway, while the least efficient of the bunch, the Tremor, comes in at 21/27 mpg city/highway. If you want an EV, you'll go one way; if not, you'll be visiting gas stations. Ford 2025 Ford Maverick. Slate 2027 Slate Truck. Interior and Cargo It's inside where things get really interesting for the Slate. From the factory, the Truck is configured as a two-seat, single-cab pickup with a five-foot bed. But Slate will sell two kits to turn it into an SUV—one with a boxy rear end and the other with a fastback roofline. The kit comes with a three-person rear bench seat, a roll bar, seat belts, and everything else needed to transform the Truck into an SUV. Slate hasn't shared full interior dimensions yet, but we know its frunk should measure 7 cubic feet and its bed has a claimed volume of 35 cubes. The Maverick, on the other hand, starts and ends as a four-door, five-passenger pickup. (A Maverick in SUV form is called a Bronco Sport.) The Ford's wheelbase is about a foot longer than the truly diminutive Slate's, and it's a couple feet longer overall, but its bed is about a half-foot shy of the EV's. That said, the Maverick can carry more than two people while remaining a pickup, whereas the Slate makes you choose one or the other. Again, different strokes for different (numbers of) folks. Ford Ford Maverick. Sean C. Rice | Car and Driver Slate Truck. Towing Slate says the Truck will have a towing capacity of about 1000 pounds. The Maverick, on the other hand, has a 2000-pound tow rating in standard form, while an available Tow package ups the max to 4000. If you plan to pull anything more than a toy or small enclosed trailer, the Ford is the pick. Price With all of the fluctuations that Maverick pricing has seen over the years (remember when it launched with a sub-$23,000 base MSRP?), there's a good chance that number will be higher once the Slate Truck arrives. There's also a high probability that the $7500 federal tax credit that Slate likes to tout will no longer be a thing, but even then the startup automaker should have the lower price. As things stand now, the cheapest 2025 Maverick goes for $29,840. Slate is promising a pre-incentive price of around $27,000. It's not a huge potential savings, especially when you consider the Truck does without a sound system, power windows, and paint. Regardless, we like choice. We're looking forward to the coming mini-truck wars and seeing how buyers end up equipping their blank Slates post-purchase. David Gluckman Contributing Editor Ever since David was a wee Car and Driver intern, he has kept a spreadsheet listing all the vehicles he's driven and tested. David really likes spreadsheets. He can parallel-park a school bus and once drove a Lincoln Town Car 63 mph in reverse. After taking a break from journalism to work on autonomous vehicles, he's back writing for this and other automotive publications. When David's not searching for the perfect used car, you can find him sampling the latest in gimmicky, limited-edition foodstuffs. Read full bio
The Verge
31-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Verge
Slate Auto FAQ: your questions answered
Alright, we get it. Y'all are excited about Slate. We thought the little Slate Truck was cool, but based on the number of clicks and comments on our Slate Auto articles so far, you'd like to know more. Many of you wrote in with questions and more than a few people raised some doubts. So, we wanted to address as many of those as we could. Here's your one-stop shop for Slate answers based on your questions — plus a few of our own. What are the Slate's full specs, and how does it compare to a Ford Maverick or F-150? The Slate is clearly a vehicle built for everyday utility, and while it'll make for a handy machine for hauling a lot of things, big towing and heavy cargo were clearly not a top priority. Here are the key specs, compared against the four-wheel drive hybrid Ford Maverick with the 2.5-liter engine and a Ford F-150 4x2 with a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6. Slate Truck Ford Maverick Ford F-150 Horsepower (hp) 201 191 325 Curb weight (lbs) 3,602 3,674 4,171 Max payload (lbs) 1,433 1,500 1,775 Max towing (lbs) 1,000 2,000 8,400 Bed length (ft) 5 4.5 5.5, 6.5, or 8 Bed width (max / min, in) 50 / 54.9 42.6 / 53.3 50.6 / 66.9 Seats 2 5 5 It's worth noting that these Ford numbers vary widely based on configuration. For example, you can get a '4K Tow Package' on the Maverick that boosts towing to 4,000 lbs, and the F-150 has hundreds of variations depending on need. Max towing on an F-150 is 13,500 lbs. The numbers above represent the figures quoted by Ford for a base, option-free vehicle. And one final note: towing substantially reduces the efficiency of the tow vehicle, due to the weight of the trailer and its additional aerodynamic drag. For an electric vehicle like the Slate, that will surely result in reduced range, perhaps by as much as half depending on the trailer. Where will the vehicle be manufactured? Slate has confirmed manufacturing will take place in a former catalog printing facility in Warsaw, Indiana, which closed in 2023. Slate hopes to renovate the facility and eventually employ 2,000 workers, with an annual production volume of 150,000 vehicles. And the company is seeking tax abatements on the factory site from the county government to begin construction. Full details on that here. That domestic production should mean that vehicles produced by Slate are eligible for the full $7,500 federal rebate — if the credit still exists late next year when the Truck enters production. Does the Slate Truck have a cellular connection? No, the Slate Truck does not have built-in cellular connectivity. LTE is an increasingly common feature in new cars, enabling auto manufacturers to do all sorts of stuff, including good things like software updates and some perhaps not so good things like selling your driving data. For the former, o-the-air updates will still be possible via the Slate smartphone app. Updates will be downloaded to the phone and then pushed to the Slate Truck via USB cable. As for the latter, that leads us to our next question. Will Slate harvest and sell my driving data? Not your driving data, no, but you can upload data about the health of your vehicle. Jeff Jablansky, Slate Auto's head of public relations and communications, gave us this example: 'A 'check engine' light comes on: if the driver has their phone plugged in and has opted in to data movement, the company will send a notification to the Slate app so they can be aware of potential service needs.' Jablansky confirmed that no data will be sold to third parties. Can I precondition my Slate Truck? One of the joys of owning a modern EV is easy preconditioning. Regardless of where your car is parked, you can get the interior warmed up or cooled down from just a few taps on your smartphone, all without having to worry about filling your garage with carbon monoxide. Can you do that in the Slate Truck? Maybe. The lack of cellular connection means you won't be able to wirelessly connect to your Truck from anywhere, but Jablansky didn't rule it out entirely, saying, 'This is something we are working on through the app.' Will Slate make models available for designing 3D-printed accessories? Ready to download some STL/3MF files today and start designing your ultimate cupholder? Us, too, but we'll need to be patient for a little bit. 'The Maker community is incredibly important to Slate, and we are on track toward delivering on this commitment closer to launch,' Jablansky says. So stay tuned on that front. Jablansky says this will also include details on third-party accessory providers and licensing. Why didn't Slate use standard DIN slots for ease of installing audio? The DIN slot, also known as the ISO 7736 or Deutsches Institut für Normung 75490 slot, has long been the standard for in-dash audio. Why, then, are there no DIN slots on the Slate Truck? Slate says it was to offer greater flexibility. 'We wanted to allow the customer to pick and choose their accessories without forcing combinations of options together in packages. This comes to life in our audio strategy to allow customers to choose to install anything from a Bluetooth speaker to a full audio system,' Jablansky says. So the bad news is if you want to use a standard DIN receiver, then you'll need to DIY an enclosure for it. The good news is if you just want to mount a Bluetooth sound bar, then you won't have to worry about filling any gaping rectangular holes in the dashboard. Is a more advanced active driver assistance system in the works? No. 'Consistent with our broader approach, we focused our engineering to make a Slate a great truck to drive,' Jablansky says. Keep those hands on the wheel, folks. Why choose a Truck to start instead of a sedan or compact SUV? Cost and simplicity, it turns out. Jablansky says that 'a two-door form factor meant less material, less complexity, lower cost.' He adds that the lockable frunk means there's sedan-like secure storage for your stuff, with the added benefit of a big bed out back. And, of course, you can add on the SUV kit if you need more seating or more covered storage. Will any special tools be required for any of the DIY upgrades and add-ons? Per Jablansky, special tools are not expected to be required. Will this thing really sell for $20,000? What about tariffs? What if the EV incentives go away? It's a dynamic world and dynamic industry out there right now, but Slate isn't backing down. 'We are committed to our expected price point of $20,000 after federal incentives,' Jablansky says, which implies an MSRP of roughly $27,500. 'If incentives go away, Slate will remain well-positioned in the U.S. with a strong proposition of value, safety, and customization.' Will those attributes be enough to woo people away from a Ford Maverick, which starts at just over $28,000? We'll have to wait and see. Jablansky says that Slate is also committed to US manufacturing, which should fend off most of the tariff fears, and that the company is still on track to start manufacturing in 2026.
