Slate EV Truck.
Last Updated:
It took only a few days to know what the spy shot of that cute little truck was. The next day, we also saw a cool SUV version. As it turns out, and as most people thought, the new truck is from a new company called Slate. The press has widely described this as a “Jeff Bezos-backed company”. Basos is actually one of 3 investors who raised $111 millions for the company.
The Slate truck would be available with a choice of a 150-mile or 240-mile battery. The key to the new company is extreme personalisation. As the base model comes as a pickup truck, it can easily be converted into something that looks more like a Jeep or a 1980s 2 door hatchback.
The base truck is expected to start at around $27,000, or under $20,000 after current federal incentives.
This is basically what Tesla should have been working on. And maybe what Toyota, Honda, and many others are planning for the future.
As you can see from the images above, it seems there is no end to customisation. You can wrap other car, change panles, trims etc… The basic truck comes with roll up windows and no speakers.
And especially, no screen. The controls will be on an app from your phone or iPad. A power window kit can be purchased later, and instructions on how to install all that stuff yourself will be posted on YouTube videos.
Although the new truck looks tiny, it’s not that small. Especially when compared to the 2 door Jeep Wrangler or Kia Soul. Even the much larger Chrysler Pacifica. Of course, these all have the advantage of 4 doors being standard or at least available.
From the profile view, the doors of the Slate truck look pretty small for a 2 door vehicle. Like if they already had a 4 door version in mind…
I think this is a fantastic idea. A minimalist truck could be embraced by many. And it seems even a loaded SUV type with plenty of accessories could still be under $30,000. The base price after incentives is indeed similar to a base version of the Kia Soul. Except this is an EV.
I’ve heard that accessories could be available on Amazon. Which would be a huge advantage over other manufacturers.
of course, there is no AWD version available yet. And this is after all, a new startup company. And who knows if they will ever reach production? I guess having a billionaire like Jeff besos and a company like Amazon involved in the project isn’t a bad thing.
This could basically be the perfect “all you need” vehicle for many…
I might be totally wrong … but I have a gut feeling that this will be a huge hit. It fills a void in the market that has not been addressed until now.
This looks like something that people will say should sell like hotcakes. But more because we think “someone else” will buy it. Not us.
Crank windows, only 2 doors, and EV only for $27K. Who exactly is this appealing to?