A few days ago, a brand new American automotive startup announced its new electric pickup truck, which aims to go back to basics in terms of its design, production, technology and the pricing. Slate Auto has just the one model available, called the Slate Truck and this is provided to the customer in a very basic configuration, with only one option available - and thats the battery size.
Slate is due to start delivering the truck to customers starting in Q4 2026 and it'll only be sold in the USA. On the company's FAQ page, it says "The Slate and Slate accessories will only be available for purchase in the United States."
In terms of size, the truck is around 4.4 metres long, so this makes it the same length as the Fiat Doblò, a pretty small van and this means it'll be pretty small on the roads of America, especially when compared to most of the large pickup trucks, such as the Ford F-150 which can be around 6 metres long.
Slate CEO Chris Barman said the following:
"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 customizable that it can transform from a 2- seat pickup to a 5-seat SUV.”
The exterior is made up of polycarbonate and comes in just one colour. The company said that this removes the need for an expensive paint shop, which helps bring the cost down. Underneath the body panels is a full steel structure and, according to Slate this meets all the necessary crash ratings in the US.
Inside, everything is stripped back to basics with no infotainment, manual window controls and manual mirrors. There will be the option of various accessories, such as phone and tablet holders, speakers and more to provide some enhancements.
Because the Slate Truck is electric, the charging and battery specifications are pretty important to cover. It comes with the choice of two batteries, either 52.7kWh or 84.3kWh with the smaller of the two providing 150 miles of range and the latter 240 miles. However, Slate has stated the "projected range estimates are based upon the EPA test cycle and official EPA estimated ranges will be provided when available."
Charging is done via the open NACS standard, which means the Slate Truck should be compatible with the Tesla Supercharger network and others that use the connector. Both batteries can DC charge up to 120kW and AC up to 11kW.
Slate Auto is targeting a price of $20,000 in the US after the current federal discounts, meaning a retail price of around $28,000. The company is taking reservations now for $50 and deliveries are due to start in Q4 2026.
