The Slate Truck is an electric two-seater with 150 miles of range and no stereo. | Image: Slate Auto
Ask just about anybody, and they’ll tell you that new cars are too expensive. In the wake of tariffs shaking the auto industry and with the Trump administration pledging to kill the federal EV incentive, that situation isn’t looking to get better soon, especially for anyone wanting something battery-powered. Changing that overly spendy status quo is going to take something radical, and it’s hard to get more radical than what Slate Auto has planned.
Meet the Slate Truck, a sub-$20,000 (after federal incentives) electric vehicle that enters production next year. It only seats two yet has a bed big enough to hold a sheet of plywood. It only does 150 miles on a charge, only comes in gray, and the only way to listen to music while driving is if you bring along your phone and a Bluetooth speaker. It is the bare minimum of what a modern car can be, and yet it’s taken three years of development to get to this point.
But this is more than bargain-basement motoring. Slate is presenting its truck as minimalist design with DIY purpose, an attempt to not just go cheap but to create a new category of vehicle with a huge focus on personalization. That design also enables a low-cost approach to …
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Is there at least space to add a stereo and speakers or will I have to pull out the saws?
Finally American competition for 30 y/o Japanese mini trucks.
I want a Kei truck so bad. Problem is I don’t really need a truck for anything, so I’m not gonna buy one just to drive around in, I just think they’re neat.
It’s owned by bezos.
Add a couple feet to that bed and you have yourself a sale…
Keep your kinks to yourself please
I’ve seen compact pickups with 8 foot beds. That doesn’t look like an 8 foot bed. I’m strongly doubting that’s what the thing is going to look like.
Im pretty sure the website listed a 5’ bed
hahaha okay yeah that’s adorable but they do realize toddlers aren’t allowed to buy road legal vehicles, right? Are they going to make one for adults?
Honestly, this is probably the EV truck I am looking for.
I don’t live on a farm anymore but I still like to haul manure and mulch every year for my backyard garden, I need to haul wood for my wood working projects, and I don’t feel like paying 80K for a POS suburban penis enhancer that can’t haul shit.
I can deal with no stereo but damn that’s sparse even for me.
Not saying you’re not sensible. This is a genuine question. The number of trucks I saw when I visited the US (twice) was insane. Wouldn’t a trailer fulfill the same needs at a much lower price while being much more flexible in day to day use?
No, a trailer does not fit my use case.
Not really, no. When one or two of the legs of your daily commute requires bulk cargo handling, the added issue of “hitch up the trailer. Wait, where is the trailer? Okay, drive there, hitch it up, pull it here, then we’ll go there. Maybe get gas before you get the trailer because it’s a pain in the ass to do the gas station with a trailer hitched.” Yeah no.
I love this idea. It seems like it was designed for function and use over flash. If I needed something for occasional hauling and work on a property I would get this. I also see it as a “work truck” that businesses buy in bulk to keep the costs down. I would add in a radio and I love the lack of touchscreen
It’s owned by bezos.
aww damn, was grtting excited about this :(
Almost everything is owned by a billionaire or has the company invested by one. I am not going to buy it because I don’t need it
Further investigation shows Bezos to be backing the company. While it isn’t Musk and he isn’t in charge, I’m leery of this billionaire association.
You need someone with deep pockets to get a production line up and running. If not a tech titan it would just be a billionaire banker.
Wow it uses crank powered windows in this day and age. The only real concern (besides the missing stereo) is if it spies on its owners like pretty much all other car manufacturers.
My 150 mile EV wagon already handles what I throw at it, but I’d kill for something a little more truck like without breaking the fuckin bank
This… This is high on the list now
Which EV wagon do you have?
2018 Leaf SV w/ tech upgrade (and thus bigger battery)
Outside of CHADeMO, no complaints really
Rad! And proper thermal battery management too, right?
Oh yeah, my battery melted one day, got a replacement with a new warranty so I forget that happened lol
I get cutting the infotainment crap, but not even am AM/FM radio with a couple of speakers? That would barely add anything to the cost.
The article is rubbish. It has a stereo, different colours and aircon as well. Theres also a 5 passenger wagon model.
