The Slate Truck — a low-cost electric ute that can be converted, via a kit, into an SUV — is the first vehicle from the much-rumoured Jeff Bezos-backed automaker.
Unveiled over the Anzac Day long weekend, Slate’s first vehicle is looking to “disrupt” the EV and pickup market with a low-cost, back-to-basic electric ute.
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According to Chris Barman, Slate’s CEO: “The definition of what’s afordable is broken. Slate exists to put the power back in the hands of customers who have been ignored by the auto industry. Slate is a radical truck platform so customisable that it can transform from a two-seat pickup to a five-seat SUV.”
Slate is aiming to sell the Truck in basic spec for around US$27,000 ($42,300) or just under US$20,000 ($31,300) after federal EV tax rebate. It’s unknown how much longer the rebate will be around for, with the Trump administration openly considering scrapping it.
For context the entry-level hybrid Ford Maverick begins at US$23,290 ($36,490), while the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning starts at US$62,995 ($98,700).
In “Blank Slate” trim, the Truck features crank-wound windows, steel wheels, air conditioning, and a digital instrumentation screen. There’s no infotainment system, but rather a built-in phone holder and charger.
If that’s a little too basic, Slate does offer 100 options, including an infotainment tablet, 17- or 20-inch alloy wheels, electric windows, door bins, fog lights, steering wheel Bluetooth controls, and audio speakers.
The design can also be upgraded via a selection of wraps, decals, wheel covers, exterior flair badges, and interior trim upgrades.
Perhaps the most interesting options are the flat-pack SUV kits that owners can install themselves, or have installed for them, which transforms the two-seater Truck into a five-seater SUV. Both a boxy rear end and a sleeker fastback kit are available in either closed roof, open roof or door-free variants.
Measuring 4435mm long, 1793mm wide, 1760mm tall, and riding on a 2766mm, the Slate Truck is tiny by modern ute standards. By comparison, the single-cab Toyota Hilux is around 4.93m long, and the two-door Ford F-150 is 5.3m long. The similarly priced unibody Ford Maverick is almost 5.1m long.
At launch, the Slate Truck will be available with just one drivetrain featuring a 150kW/264Nm motor driving the rear wheels.
It can be mated to a 52.7kWh battery with an targetted range of around 240km, or a larger 84.3kWh unit that should be good for around 390km of driving. The most basic Truck weighs 1634kg.
It supports AC charging up to 11kW, and DC fast charging up to 120kW. In the US, it is fitted with a NACS charging port, meaning it should have access to Tesla’s Supercharging network.
Unladen, and presumably with the smaller battery, the Slate Truck is capable of peeling off the 0-60mph (0-97km/h) standard in 8.0 seconds and hitting a top speed of 145km/h.
The Truck rides on MacPherson strut front suspension, and a De Dion axle with coil springs at the rear. The 17-inch steel wheels are allied to 245/65 tyres.
Maximum payload is said to be 650kg, and towing is limited to 454kg. The rear tray has a volume of 1048L, is 1524mm long (or 2073mm with the tailgate down), and is between 1090mm and 1395mm wide.
Slate is currently building a factory in Indianapolis, Indiana. The first deliveries are expected during the fourth quarter of 2026, and the company is hoping to sell around 150,000 Trucks per year.
Although final pricing hasn’t been nailed down, those interested can put down a US$50 deposit to secure a production slot.
