A panel of working mechanics looked at the $24,950 Slate electric truck and mostly shrugged — not because it’s bad, but because it’s a deliberate bet that most buyers secretly want less, not more.
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Slate, the Jeff Bezos–backed startup, revealed its bare-bones electric pickup at $24,950. The mechanics on Current Electric’s show immediately zeroed in on what’s missing: no infotainment screen, hand-crank windows, unpainted composite body panels you wrap instead of paint. “Everything by the sounds of it,” one said of the cuts — and then added, “I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing.” As another put it, this is “the middle finger” to trucks that have gotten “too big and too fancy.”
The comparison they couldn’t avoid is the Ford Maverick — a fully featured hybrid four-door that starts higher but includes speakers, power windows, a screen, and a bed liner as standard. Slate treats all of those as paid add-ons.
| Spec | Slate Truck (base) |
|---|---|
| Price | $24,950 (excludes fees; federal credit now expired) |
| Battery | 65 kWh LFP (63 kWh usable) |
| Range | ~205 miles |
| Motor | 181 hp rear-wheel drive |
| 0–60 mph | ~8 seconds |
| Payload / towing | 1,550 lb / 2,000 lb |
| Charging | NACS, 120 kW DC |
| SUV conversion | $29,950 (five-seat) |
The panel split where you’d expect. For a fleet, a pool service, or a tradesperson doing local runs, stripping the truck down to “a windshield, a bed, and a motor” is the entire appeal — lower purchase price, lower maintenance, easy DIY fixes, and composite panels that resist dents. For a family wanting a comfortable daily driver, the picture is murkier: once you add the wrap, speakers, liner, and basics, the options can erase much of the headline savings and narrow the gap to a better-equipped rival.
One detail worth flagging: Slate originally pitched “under $20,000,” but that assumed the $7,500 federal EV tax credit that expired September 30, 2025. The $24,950 figure is the new reality — and the truck is still cheaper than nearly every new vehicle on sale.
For the ownership-math angle, our 2026 EV owner math guide and upcoming EV launch list put Slate in context.
If you need a cheap, simple work truck or a project platform you customize over time, Slate is genuinely interesting — it’s the cheapest new EV in America. If you want a comfortable, capable family pickup out of the box, price the accessories first; the add-ons are where the real number lives. First deliveries are targeted for late 2026.
