A New Way to Drive: Slate Auto’s Affordable, Customizable Electric Truck Takes Aim at the EV Market

In a bold move, Slate Auto, a three-year-old American electric vehicle startup, has made its debut with a vehicle that’s as anti-Tesla as it gets. The company’s affordable, deeply customizable, and very analog electric truck is set to revolutionize the EV market with its unique approach to design and functionality.

Slate Auto’s CEO, Chris Barman, and chief commercial officer, Jeremy Snyder, unveiled the truck at an event in Long Beach, California, promising that the first models will be available to customers for under $20,000, with the federal EV tax credit, by the end of 2026. The truck’s affordability and customization options are a direct response to the auto industry’s focus on autonomy and technology, which has driven prices to a level that’s unaffordable for most Americans.

“We’re here to change that,” Snyder said during the event, which was live-streamed by Inside EVs. “We are building the affordable vehicle that has long been promised but never been delivered.”

The Slate truck is a game-changer in several ways. It’s a manual, with no main infotainment screen, and it’s not even painted. Instead, customers can choose from a range of wraps, which can be applied at home or by a Slate authorized partner. The truck also comes with a front trunk (or frunk) with 7 cubic feet of storage space, which has a drain for filling with ice for tailgate parties.

But what really sets Slate apart is its focus on customization. The company is offering over 100 different accessories that customers can use to personalize their truck to their liking. This includes options like infotainment screens, speakers, roof racks, and light covers, as well as the ability to transform the truck into a roomier SUV form factor.

Slate’s approach is a total inversion of the traditional EV startup model, which often focuses on high-end, high-tech vehicles that are out of reach for most consumers. Instead, the company is going after a low-cost EV first and foremost, and hopes to make that business viable by supplementing it with money from its deep customization play.

Slate has raised over $111 million in funding, including from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Guggenheim Partners CEO Mark Walter. The company has hired nearly 400 employees and is currently trying to hire more.

While Slate’s debut comes at a volatile time for the auto industry, the company’s focus on domestic manufacturing may insulate it from some of the turmoil facing other startups and established automakers.

“We believe vehicles should be affordable and desirable,” Barman said. “Slate’s truck is a vehicle people are actually going to love and be proud to own.”

With its unique approach to design and functionality, Slate Auto is poised to make a splash in the EV market. Whether or not the company can sustain its momentum remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Slate is shaking things up in the auto industry.