A $20K Electric Pickup Truck Made by a Jeff Bezos-backed Startup Is Surprising Popular
Slate Auto, an electric vehicle startup based out of Troy, Mich., has garnered the attention of high-profile investors like Amazon’s Jeff Bezos. But its product is far from flashy: a no-frills, two-seater pickup truck with a base price under $20,000. The vehicle doesn’t have a touch-screen display or stereo, standard features seen in new cars today. Still, potential customers seem to appreciate the affordable price and retro approach. Slate received over 100,000 reservations less than three weeks after unveiling its pickup truck in April, TechCrunch first reported.
“We are truly humbled by America’s response to Slate’s brand launch and the launch of our truck,” said Jeremy Snyder, Slate’s chief commercial officer, in a statement to TechCrunch. “We are excited for what the future holds.”
Investors have also taken notice of Slate’s unconventional approach. In addition to support from Bezos Expeditions, Jeff Bezos’s family office, the company has reportedly raised $700 million from backers including General Catalyst and TWG Global—the holding company led by billionaires Mark Walter and Thomas Tull.
Slate’s minimalist truck is designed as a “blank slate,” giving customers the freedom to customize it. Instead of traditional paint, the vehicle is made from gray molded polypropylene, but buyers can choose from a wide range of colored vinyl wraps. The standard battery offers a 150-mile range, with an option to upgrade to a 240-mile pack. Customers can also purchase more than four dozen add-on accessories—such as integrated speakers, seat covers and door cubbies—though pricing for these extras hasn’t been disclosed.
Slate’s base model is a compact truck, but the company plans to offer DIY kits that allow customers to transform the vehicle into different configurations. One kit converts the truck into a five-seat SUV, while another adds van-like cargo space to the pickup.
More than 100,000 people have already reserved a so-called “Slate Truck,” but that number doesn’t guarantee actual sales. Reservations required only a $50 deposit, which is fully refundable if buyers change their minds.
Still, with a starting price under $20,000, Slate’s vehicles are among the most affordable EVs on the market. They’re significantly cheaper than the nearly $30,000 Nissan Leaf or $28,000 Ford Maverick, and cost a fraction of luxury models like Tesla’s Cybertruck or Rivian’s R1T, which start above $70,000.
Slate’s retail price tag is actually in the mid-$20,000 range, but the vehicle is expected to qualify for a $7,500 federal EV tax credit. The company’s U.S.-based supply chain may also shield it from many of the Trump administration’s tariffs on imported cars. Production is slated to begin in late 2026 at a former printing plant in Warsaw, Ind., with a goal of manufacturing 150,000 trucks annually by 2027.
“The idea for Slate goes back to 2022 when several visionary thinkers asked: could we build a radically affordable and simple car?” said Chris Barman, Slate’s CEO, during the automaker’s truck unveiling last month. “Then we took it a step further. Could we build it here in America?”