Even with the demand for electric cars flattening in America and the disappearance of the federal tax credit, the Slate pickup remains the most hotly anticipated new vehicle of 2026. Pickups are the lifeblood of America, and the affordability crisis is at the top of everyone’s mind. Plus, with gas prices soaring, Slate could be in a unique position to capitalize on a sea of customers who don’t want to drop $120 every time they need to top off their truck.
Slate is set to start limited production later this summer, with first deliveries happening before the end of the year. The company is in town for the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS), and it’s invited me to take a closer look at the vehicle to poke around. What do you want to know?
What I’m most curious to find out is just how everything feels. You can get a pretty good sense of a car’s design from pictures and video, but my opinion on many cars has changed once I’ve actually touched its surfaces and sat inside.
The Slate truck is very much a budget automobile, with an estimated starting price under $30,000. So it’s not like I’m expecting quilted leather seats and soft-close doors here. But rough surfaces and hard plastics might turn some people off, even if they know they’ll be saving money. How will designers balance their budget limitations to create something inviting?
Sure, stuff like standard manual crank windows will win people like me over, but what about normal folks just looking for a cheap, useful pickup? Most buyers are used to having a bunch of standard equipment, like a stereo, in their vehicles. So it’s up to the design team to find that equilibrium.
That question extends to the exterior. In addition to poking around the Slate truck itself, I’ll also be speaking with Gus Bizyk, the head of Slate’s exterior design. Remember, the Slate truck is so bare-bones that it doesn’t even have paint—those grey surfaces are unpainted plastic body panels. Coming off the line, every truck will look the same, with Slate leaning on exterior wraps and a swath of factory-designed accessories for customization. You can even use those accessories to turn it from a truck into a two-door SUV, which is pretty cool.
No matter how it’s customized, the Slate still has to make a good first impression. And that falls on the designers. So I’d like to know how Bizyk thinks he and his team have pulled it off despite all of the limitations put on by the team’s budget. The Slate truck might look painfully simple, but that’s likely just a result of a bunch of hard work to ensure it’s appealing to a wide audience.
Enough about what I want to find out. I want to know what you’re curious about. It sounds like there won’t be any engineers or technical representatives on site, so my questions on the battery, motor, and range might have to wait. But I’m going to be getting up close with this car, so if you want to know how adjustable the seats are, or what size tire it’s wearing, or how many of me can fit in the bed, let me know in the comments.
Top graphic image: Slate; DepositPhotos.com
On the shape of the truck, is there a particular affect or personality the design set out to portray? I’m curious how intentional this is or if it is merely what everyone thought was cool and fit within the functional design brief.
Are they using off the shelf drive train suspension and steering parts, so when they go Tango Uniform spare parts will be available?
Would they be prepared to rename it Slüt so I could get one for my Mom?
Is it easy to do maintenance on? And maintenance on the electronic components without killing myself? Is it 48V?
As a reservation holder, I would like to know if there will be locations where we can check these out before committing to purchase. Also, will a sheet of plywood fit in the bed (even if it overhangs the gate)?
are they going to sell these at Ikea and have a warehouse section with parts that you can grab off the shelf?
It bothers me that Slate in an anagram of Tesla. Otherwise, this is as close to a ‘73 Bronco half-cab as you can get these days and that suits me just fine
QUESTIONS:
When will AWD be offered?
Have design considerations been given to future battery evolution?
Why did they design a 2027 truck around 2022 battery tech. Is there plans for a cheaper LFP or other chem version. What is the probability of a small range extender. Or after sales front motor setup. If other battery chems are available would battery be able to be swapped into the current model. Will the firmware be open. How hard was it to find a supplier for the manual windows.
Knowing they are going barebones, no frills, and DIY as features, I would be curious on how much that comes out in the final design. Like how DIY friendly is the vehicle actually and how supportive are they going to be to not only the aftermarket but owners. Like say I need to swap out some battery cells 6 years down the line, is that something they factored in to their design? Are they planning OEM AWD or range upgrades that are as easy as a SUV to pickup switch? Could I repurpose a battery pack down the line ‘easily’ into a house battery backup?
They claim they’re aiming for 5 star safety rating, but they’re not going to off lane changing / blind-side monitoring alerts?
My question… how do they expect to get 5 stars when they’re not providing a full suite of safety features?
It’s barely a truck (only tows 1000 lbs., no AWD) and it’s not a king-cab so there’s no storage behind the seat that a proper 2-door pickup should have.
I want them to be successful – I -was- an early reservation holder, but the more I learned, the less happy I was about the value prospect. It’s not enough truck to replace our Maverick, and it’s too expensive (and only 150 mile range!) for a stripped down EV to compete against a gently used (maybe return from lease) EV CUV that’s about the flood the market.
With the loss of the tax credit, I think the best option for Slate is to standardize on the larger battery, include a full suite a safety features, and hope there’s enough people interested in a $30K EV that they’ll be able to survive. I’ve since gotten my reservation back from them (took about 5 days).
In an era of the existing Maverick – now with AWD on the hybrid – and Ford (and maybe Toyota) rumored to be hitting the $30K target for a small EV pickup, where does the Slate push its value appeal and competitive desirability in comparison to these established (as a brand) competitors?
How does Slate plan on overcoming the stigma of being part of Amazon?
I don’t believe the are actually part of Amazon but since when does Amazon have a stigma?
How many sales do you expect to lose for not offering AWD, and do you really think it’s as low as whatever number you just vomited out?
What’s the market research showing that the pickup version is worth compromising the SUV to two doors only, given the popularity of EVs among rideshare drivers and the fact every 2 door EV yet offered in America has been a flop?
My biggest like for this vehicle is the lack of an infotainment system. All I need is a screen for a backup camera. A mount that will hold my phone, a place to put my Bluetooth speaker, and USB ports to charge the phone and speaker.
I hope this venture is successful and that more manufacturers will switch to no infotainment as their systems become outdated quickly and do not last the lifetime of the vehicle anyways.
I’m tempted to be a cheedy arsehole and suggest you ask him/her what he’ll be doing for work a few years from now after Slate has come and gone, but that’s just mean and hopefully, wrong. Of course, I put in an early deposit on a Slate (and on a Telo) even though I’m not certain I’d buy either one when (and if) the time comes.
I WANT a small EV truck, but (in terms of the Slate) having it be so basic and bare-bones at ‘under $30K’ isn’t likely to light many fires, not when $30K also buys decent cars from Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, Ford, etc… albeit not an EV trucklet.
At $30K, I honestly don’t think they’ll move a lot of Slates. At $20K, it might have been a phenomenon, but to get there it’d have required both federal and state buy-ins, which won’t happen (federally, anyway) for at least another three years, if at all.
We love Dog Mode and Keep Mode in our Tesla. A software option that allows the Slate to maintain cabin interior while shopping and loading is a priority for us.
I know this is a budget truck, trying to keep the price in the 20K range, I get that…but down the road are they thinking about a sporty model? Maybe an extra $10K performance package gets AWD and more HP? That’s what I’d like to know.
the lack of AWD is genuinely insane
I get it for trying to hit that initial $20K price point and now trying to keep it under $30K. I understand that value is the entire point of this vehicle but I’d like a performance option.
if they had designed the system for AWD from the start, it’s like <$2k per vehicle in cost to the manufacturer. For a truck, I feel like that’s an outsized opportunity cost
Some of the reviews I’ve seen on youtube mention that there is a cavity up front that would accommodate a motor for the front wheels but Slate reps have been really cagey about answering if it will get a front motor.
But like I said, I’d be willing to pay an little extra $$ for 2 motors rated higher than their current 200HP.
Since they are Troy, MI based, can the Detroit Area Autopians have a meet up in their parking lot and check out the truck? We are willing to deviate from the Walmart parking lot for the opportunity and will bring weird cars with us.
I’m excited for this truck.
I’ll bring pizza!
I just want to thank them for trying to make something that isn’t some tech/tracking device. I want to thank them for making something simple again. I am pretty rabidly anti-ev and I am looking past that and have a reservation because of the first two things I mentioned.
Please make this with a small, easy to maintain gas engine.
I am curious how we are identifying this vehicle as hotly anticipated? Where is this “data” coming from. I am not hearing much about it at all. Except that nobody knows where the actual starting price will be.
FROM MY GODS DAMNED MOUTH JDE. I AM SO DAMN HOT FOR THIS TRUCK I AM DOING ALL CAPS AND PRACTICALLY ON FIRE.
*I frequently find myself liking things that get discontinued or canceled quickly after.
Ditto. Maybe I should go bet on Slate failing on Polymarket so it’s guaranteed to be a success as the universe continues to spite me.
Will there be a manual transmission option? How easy will it be to K swap it?
How would a manual work in an electric? The older EVs that had them basically did because they were converted from ICE cars and the trans was just left in place.
Anyone can K swap it, as long as you have Aries, Horizon, or Omni in running condition to trade in to the dealer for $1000 off MSRP
You meant K-car swap, right?
Besides being brand new, why not just get a used Ford Lightning?
I bet this stupid thing is $35k when it actually goes on sale.
Lightnings are gone, but it is a hard sell when the Maverick Hybrid is priced very similarly.
I am very interested in getting a Slate. I will need a replacement for my rusted-out GMC regular-cab pickup with crank windows. Here is a list of my questions:
1.) Rust-proofing. How corrosion-resistant is the frame and undercarriage? What kind of rust-through warranty will be provided?
2.) Use-ability. Can I realistically daily-drive this truck in all seasons? (I currently daily-drive a 2WD 5-speed, regular-cab pickup)
3.) Anti-technology. I do not own a smart-phone. Will I be able to drive and maintain this truck without one? I have no need or desire for an infotainment screen on the dashboard.
4.) I recently ran a 50A/240VAC service out to my garage. Will a 40A 240V receptacle circuit be sufficient for charging?
5.) Will it come with one or more 12V sockets in or below the dash so I can plug in our Garmin GPS? Can I also charge my iPod at the same time?
6.) Covered box storage. I currently use my truck to haul a snowblower in the winter and a lawnmower in the summer. Can I get it as a regular-cab pickup (not the SUV kit) but also get some type of full-height topper for the box? I do not wish to haul gasoline inside the cabin.
7.) Sound system. Is there room under and/or behind the seats for a small speaker box that will connect to my iPod?
8.) In-cab storage. How much room will there be inside the cab for storing items like an atlas, jumper cables (for helping others) tow straps, ratchet straps, etc?
9.) 12V power. Speaking of jumper cables, will there be an easy connection point to connect jumper cables if I want to help a stranded motorist in need of a jump-start?
10.) Towing. Will there be a rear hitch available? Will there be a trailer wiring harness at the rear for connecting trailer lighting?
Thanks in advance for asking as many of these as you can.
The answer to all your “will it have a” questions is no at $30K. Everything costs extra.
I would expect to pay more if I wanted a topper or a rear hitch, just like a regular pickup.
The actual price.
They’ve been pushing hard lately that the price will be unveiled late June.
How soul sucking has it been working for Bezos?