You've probably seen the headlines about the "Jeff Bezos-backed" truck or the weird gray vehicle that looks like a Lego set. Honestly, most of what’s being said about the slate auto electric pickup truck misses the point. People call it the "anti-Tesla" or a "Cybertruck killer," but those comparisons are kinda lazy. Tesla is trying to build the future of robots on wheels; Slate is trying to build a hammer. A simple, electric, $28,000 hammer.
If you’re tired of cars that feel like iPads with tires, this thing is for you.
The Slate Auto Electric Pickup Truck Nobody Talks About
Most EVs today are bloated. They have massive screens, 14 cameras, and software that updates while you’re trying to go to the grocery store. Slate Auto is doing the opposite. They’re launching a truck in late 2026 that doesn't even have a built-in infotainment system. You literally just mount your phone or a tablet to the dash. That’s it.
The truck, officially known as the "Slate Truck" (though everyone just calls it the Slate), is a two-door compact pickup that’s roughly the same size as an old-school 1990s Toyota SR5. It’s tiny compared to a Ford F-150 Lightning. But that’s why it works. It’s built in Warsaw, Indiana, in an old printing plant, which tells you everything you need to know about their vibe: re-industrialization without the fluff.
Breaking Down the Specs (The Real Ones)
Let’s talk numbers because there’s a lot of noise out there. The base model—which the company calls the "Blank Slate"—is rear-wheel drive. You aren't getting a quad-motor monster here.
✨ Don't miss: What Does Geodesic Mean? The Math Behind Straight Lines on a Curvy Planet
- Horsepower: 201 hp.
- Torque: 195 lb-ft.
- Battery Options: A 52.7 kWh pack (150 miles range) or an 84.3 kWh pack (240 miles range).
- Payload: Roughly 1,433 lbs.
- Towing: Only 1,000 lbs. (Yeah, don't try to haul a horse trailer with this).
The range isn't going to win any awards. 150 miles is barely enough for a road trip, but Slate isn't selling this to cross-country trekkers. They’re selling it to people who need to go to Home Depot or small business owners running local deliveries. It uses the NACS (Tesla-style) charging port, so you can actually use the Supercharger network, which is a massive win for a startup.
Why it’s actually a "Blank Slate"
The coolest—and maybe weirdest—thing is the customization. Every single truck rolls off the line in the same "unpainted" gray polypropylene. It’s a composite body that doesn't need a paint shop. CEO Chris Barman, a Chrysler veteran, says skipping the paint shop saves the company hundreds of millions of dollars a year. That’s how they keep the price low.
If you want color, you wrap it.
Slate is basically the IKEA of trucks. They have over 100 accessories. Want to turn your two-seat pickup into a five-seat SUV? You buy a kit for about $5,000 that adds a roof over the bed and a rear bench. Want power windows? Too bad. The base model has manual crank windows. It’s a choice made to increase reliability and cut costs. There are fewer things to break.
🔗 Read more: Starliner and Beyond: What Really Happens When Astronauts Get Trapped in Space
What Most People Get Wrong About the Price
You’ll see $20,000 mentioned a lot in older articles. Let’s be real: that was "after incentives." With the shifting landscape of federal EV tax credits and the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (as it's often cited in 2026 political circles), that $20k price point is getting harder to hit.
The actual starting MSRP is closer to $27,500. Still, in a world where the average EV costs over $50k, the slate auto electric pickup truck is a bargain.
The Logistics: Servicing and Reliability
Startups usually fail because you can’t get them fixed. If your Rivian or Lucid breaks in the middle of Iowa, you're in trouble. Slate is trying to sidestep this by partnering with RepairPal. They’re claiming 4,000 service points will be ready the day the first truck is delivered.
It’s a bold claim.
💡 You might also like: 1 light year in days: Why our cosmic yardstick is so weirdly massive
But with Jeff Bezos and big-name investors like Jeff Wilke (ex-Amazon) behind it, they have the capital to actually build a supply chain. They aren't just building a car; they're trying to prove you can still manufacture simple things in the American Midwest.
Is the Slate Truck Right for You?
Honestly? Probably not if it's your only car and you live in the suburbs with three kids. But as a second vehicle or a "work-around-the-house" rig, it’s fascinating.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check Your Range Needs: If your daily commute is under 60 miles, the 150-mile base battery is plenty. Don't waste money on the 84.3 kWh upgrade unless you really need it.
- Reserve Early: They already have over 150,000 reservations. The $50 deposit is refundable, and given the production capacity in Indiana is capped at 150k units a year, the waitlist is going to get long quickly.
- Plan Your "Build": Since the truck is modular, look at the accessory catalog on the official Slate site. It's better to buy the base "Blank Slate" and add the SUV kit or the speaker bar later when you actually have the cash.
- Look for Local "Service Hubs": Before pulling the trigger in late 2026, verify which RepairPal locations near you are actually "Slate Certified." Not every shop in the network will have the EV tools on day one.
The slate auto electric pickup truck represents a shift back to basics. It’s not about luxury. It’s about a gray, plastic, electric box that gets the job done without judging you for not having the latest software update.