Can Amazon’s Big Swing Car Brand Drive Itself out of the Mud?

Despite a promised sub-$20k price tag, the Slate truck will now supposedly start from the mid-$20k mark.

Close-up of a white vehicle's front left headlight and amber side marker light with a black grille section.

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Published 2 hours ago

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If you’ve been wondering what’s been going on with Slate, so have I. But recently, and somewhat finally, the Amazon/Jeff Bezos-backed affordable electric vehicle startup finally broke its radio silence to give some updates.

Whether those updates are meaningful depends on your perspective. But it’s not off to the grandest of starts as one of the developments pertains to Slate’s projected asking price. It’s not quite what I’d hoped.

It’s not even out yet and it already got more expensive

Gray electric pickup truck driving on a road under a large concrete bridge at dusk. — We haven’t heard much from Slate as of late, but that’s about to change.

According to a recent development, The Autopian stumbled upon some telling clues on some of Slate’s webpages. Embedded in the HTML code were some statements that alluded to a pretty significant price hike from Slate’s originally pledged MSRP.

When the EV pickup first broke cover, executives promised it would cost less than $20,000 to start. In the latest discovery, however, the embedded code suggested the Slate’s new MSRP would now be well past the $20k mark at $24,950.

Two gray electric SUVs, one a pickup truck and the other a sport utility vehicle, parked inside a warehouse with large windows. — There’s a lot of anticipation surrounding the EV startup, especially with what it’s promising.

For an affordable truck aimed at the masses, a difference of around $5,000 is a hefty chunk of change. Whether this is official, has yet to be determined.

But analysts and EV specialists did speculate that Slate’s original MSRP may not be realistic after the Trump Administration essentially eliminated all federal EV tax credits. And this price increase may reflect that policy change.

It’ll be very customizable, but still no word about what really matters

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In another recent update, Slate’s CEO, Peter Faricy, also came out of the woodwork with some words to share. Though, instead of giving the world a hard confirmation regarding the truck’s lead time until production starts, he instead shared how customizable the truck will be.

Speaking with the Detroit Free Press, Faricy announced that customization will be at the forefront of the truck’s experience. Which is something we sort of already knew.

Going into further detail, Faricy announced that Slate’s truck will come with the choice of over 100+ colors. But it won’t offer this level of customization in the same way other automakers do, which is with conventional paint shops.

Rear view of a gray off-road vehicle with a spare tire mounted on the back, inside a sunlit industrial warehouse. — Customization and cost-efficiency remain at the forefront of Slate’s experience.

Rather, Slate will offer over 100 different exterior vinyl wrap colors. According to Faricy, this helps keep production costs down by omitting an entire department dedicated to exterior paint and body work.

It also provides buyers lots of options, and it’s all a part of the company’s personalization ethos. There will even be choices to opt for a full SUV body, or a cab with an open bed.

“It’s mass customization. You do you,” Faricy said. “You pick the accessories and colors,” Faricy said. “We’ll have 54 basic wraps and 45-50 with metallic finishes and other designs. We’ll even print designs for people starting in 2027.”

Expect the real important news bits on June 24

Minimalist car interior with black steering wheel, digital dashboard, gray fabric panels, and manual window cranks. — Slate boasts easy configurability and modular design through the truck’s modest interior.

In the same interview with the Detroit Free Press, Faricy also reconfirmed Slate’s big announcement on June 24. The company previously announced that specific date as the start of preorders in May of this year.

However, he didn’t go into much further detail to elaborate beyond what’s already known. So far, the world is expecting a small, affordable pickup that can also take shape as an SUV or fastback.

Matte gray compact pickup truck parked in front of a corrugated metal wall with rust and peeling paint. — We’re hoping Slate doesn’t end up like nearly every other EV start up to date.

Slate is pledging a driving range of at least 150 miles on a single charge, while also betting on simplicity and cost efficiency when compared to all the other major pickup players out there.

Can it deliver? We’ll find out in a few days.

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

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